The Point of No Return
by Aussie-Muggle
Summary: Before the Dark Lord, Frank Longbottom showed the fierce and clever Bellatrix Black a world beyond pureblood supermemacy and unlikely romance was formed. But the Death Eaters are gaining power and Bellatrix must make a choice that will change everything.
1. Beginnings

_Author's Note:_

This is the first in a trilogy I'm planning. It has a few issues… The happy ending (or lack thereof), excessive substance abuse and mention of abusive parents. There is also a rather… shall we say "unorthodox" pairing in the form of Bellatrix/Frank Longbottom. I was feeling rebellious. Feel free to review and tell me how insane you think I am.

_Disclaimer:_

I own nothing but a hyperactive imagination and the plot. Joanne Rowling probably wouldn't think of something as insane and twisted as this... then again Dumbledore is out of the broomcloset and Snape has confessed his undying love for Harry's mother. Stranger things have happened. This particular instalment is based (loosely) on the song 'The Point of no Return' from Phantom of the Opera. Hence the name. Don't own that either.

_Dedicated to Mum... who is a bit like Augusta Longbottom, Molly Weasley and Lily Potter combined only more awesome._

* * *

Beginnings

Frank gave one last wave to his mother before boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time. He faced the first compartment door on his left and took a deep breath. Frank wasn't particularly shy or guarded but even he needed to reassure himself before knocking and opening the door.

Inside was a strangely familiar, dark haired girl with a jet black kitten on her lap. As he entered the compartment, her shoulders tensed and her eyes widened in alarm. When she saw it was only Frank, she frowned and looked him up and down as though sizing him up. Frank could only stand frozen in the doorway as she scrutinised him.

She obviously decided that a lanky, first year in muggle clothes wasn't a threat. Her nose wrinkled in obvious distaste and glared at him. Frank too an involuntary step back. He had not expected such a cold reception, especially on his first day.

"Err…Hello," muttered Frank.

The girl did not return his greeting. She merely continued to glare at him as if he had said something very offensive. Frank shuffled on the spot and avoided her eyes. After at least a minute, the girl let out an impatient sigh.

"Well?" she said sharply. "What do you want?"

Frank swallowed.

"Can I…sit here…please?" he mumbled.

The girl's expression softened slightly. Very slightly. She shrugged and turned her attention to the black kitten on her lap.

"If you insist," she said absently as she stroked the kitten's fur.

For a moment, Frank considered sitting somewhere else. He decided that it would be impolite so he walked into the compartment and sat opposite the more then uninviting girl.

For the next five minutes, the only sound that could be heard was the train departing and the cat purring. Frank fidgeted uncomfortably and the girl frowned at him.

"I-I'm Frank Longbottom," he said finally.

The girl seemed slightly surprised. She made an odd sort of twitch before speaking.

"Bellatrix Black…well…just Bella really," she said quietly.

Frank nodded and racked his brain for something to say. He wasn't used to silence…or sitting quietly…or anything else that involved a lot patience. To his surprise, Bellatrix spared him the effort and broke the silence herself.

"You're a pureblood," she said. "I've seen you before."

Frank found himself smiling. At least he wasn't going to spend the entire train ride either very uncomfortable, bored or both.

"Err…yeah…I thought I recognise you from somewhere," said Frank. "At one of those stupid parties our parents drag us to."

Bellatrix's eyes darkened and she seemed angry again. Frank wondered if he had said something to offend her when…

"Stupid doesn't cover it," she said bitterly. "They do nothing but drink vast amounts, brag about their ridiculous offspring and talk about silly little things like money and whose relative eloped with a mudblood and…"

Bellatrix trailed off. Frank had gone pale and wasn't meeting her eye. She raised her eyebrows quizzically.

"You're not supposed to use that word," said Frank quietly.

Bellatrix blinked and said nothing.

"You're supposed to call them muggleborns," continued Frank.

The silence stretched. Bellatrix stared at Frank in mild surprise and then shrugged. Frank decided to pursue a subject outside Bellatrix's obviously prejudiced family.

"You're a first year, aren't you?" he muttered.

Bellatrix nodded.

"Me too," asked Frank. "Are you scared?"

This time, Bellatrix actually laughed. It was strange… cold, mocking and it didn't suit her.

"Of what?" sneered Bellatrix. "Are _you_ scared?"

She gave him a teasing smile. Frank tried to look casual. This is generally a very hard thing to accomplish when you've turned scarlet.

"I'm not scared," muttered Frank. "Well, spending time away from home will be hard… I guess."

Bellatrix scowled. Evidently Frank had said the wrong thing…again.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she said bitterly. "Well… I'll miss Dromeda I suppose…my little sister. She's the only member of my family I…I get along with."

Frank had a feeling that was not what Bellatrix had meant to say. She had turned her attention to her cat again and her jaw had gone rigid.

"She'll be coming in a few years though," said Frank reassuringly.

Bellatrix still refused to look Frank.

"Two…if she lasts that long," she said. "She's always getting into some kind of trouble and I'm usually the one getting her out."

"You should give her some credit," said Frank. "I mean…"

Frank trailed off and shrugged. What he meant to say was, "_If she's anything like you trouble will avoid her altogether._"

"What house do you think you'll get?" said Frank, deciding now was a good time to change the subject again.

Bellatrix looked up and smiled gratefully.

"Slytherin," she said quietly. "I'll be disowned if I was sorted somewhere else…but it suits me."

Frank raised his eyebrows.

"Disowned? That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"

Bellatrix grimaced.

"That's my father for you," said Bellatrix wryly.

"Sounds like mum."

Bellatrix let out a laugh of disbelief.

"I seriously doubt your mother's anything like my father," scoffed Bellatrix.

"She's determined I'd get into Gryffindor…she wouldn't disown me though. I'm an only child."

Bellatrix grimaced and muttered something that sounded like 'only son'. Frank pretended not to notice.

"You like Quidditch, Bella?" asked Frank rather loudly.

At this, Bellatrix seemed uncharacteristically nervous.

"I'm not really allowed to play Quidditch…" said Bellatrix carefully.

Frank's mouth fell open in sheer horror.

"You're joking!" he cried.

Frank's reaction seemed to make Bellatrix more confident.

"…but I sneak out on my father's broom anyway," she said. "I'm sure I can play better than half the boys my age."

She gave Frank a mischievous half-mock smile.

"If not all of them," she added innocently.

Frank noticed the veiled challenge there and grinned.

"We'll see when we have Quidditch practise," said Frank. "What team do you support?"

"The Holyhead Harpies…naturally," said Bellatrix, referring to the only international, all girls team.

"Tornadoes all the way," said Frank brightly.

"We're going to smash you next weekend," sneered Bellatrix. "No offence."

"Oh sure you are," said Frank sarcastically. "The Tornadoes beat the Harpies by twenty points last time."

"Adrianna Hopkins had dragon pox," said Bellatrix dryly. "She's on the top of her game now."

Frank opened his mouth to say something and closed it. Hopkins _was_ on the top of her game now… Bellatrix smirked triumphantly.

Bellatrix was one of the first students to be called up by Professor Flitwick. The little wizard was forced to use a small pile of books to put the Sorting Hat her head. Frank waited in anticipation. Personally, he though Bellatrix would make an excellent Gryffindor. She didn't look frightened at all. The hat didn't say anything for a very long time and then…

"Slytherin!"

Frank's shoulders sagged. Bellatrix noticed his expression and shrugged.

_Told you,_ mouthed Bellatrix. _Slytherin._

She sat down next to a tall boy Frank knew as Algernon Rookwood. Rookwood gave her a smile but she ignored him. Frank found himself grinning as Rookwood scowled and looked away.

"Longbottom, Frank," called Flitwick.

Frank jumped and looked up the front. Flitwick gave him a reassuring smile.

"Come on young man," he said kindly. "Up you get."

Frank hurried up to the little stool and sat down. The hat fell over his eyes and a little voice began speaking in his head.

_Very sure of yourself …loyal…perhaps Hufflepuff? Hmm…But you're a brave lad. Ah yes…that seems right…_

"Gryffindor!"

Frank gave a sigh of relief as the Gryffindor table roared with applause. When he sat down at the table, he was soon joined by a rather round first year boy with a heart-shaped face. His school robes were untidy and his school shoes were scuffed but he had a good natured smile on his face.

"Wotcher," said the boy brightly. "You're Frank Longbottom, right?"

This boy was clearly more social than Bellatrix.

"That's me," said Frank. "You're Theodore Tonks?"

"Oh God no," said the boy with a shudder. "I'm just Ted."

Silence fell over the students as a small, old man with a tall, crooked wizard's hat got to his feet. He stood in front of the staff table and gave them all a wide smile.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts…and welcome to our new students!" he cried. "I hope you will learn to find home within our halls."

The older students gave the first years a loud cheer which made them feel considerably less nervous.

"Now before we start the school year I have a few words to say. As you know I… Professor Dippet for those who don't know me…am retiring."

There were a few murmurs from the students. Dippet raised his hands for silence.

"However I just couldn't resist seeing one last Sorting ceremony," said Dippet with a smile. "Before I go I would like to introduce you to our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher…Professor Mary Fitzwilliam."

A tall, middle aged witch with her glasses on the edge of her nose got to her feet and smiled at the students and at Dippet. She received a small cheer.

"I also need to introduce you to Transfiguration teacher… who is also the new head of Gryffindor house," said Dippet. "Professor Minerva McGonagall…an old student of mine."

A dark haired witch in her late twenties gave the students a shaky wave. She was dressed in a tartan travelling cloak and seemed more nervous than all the first years put together. The Gryffindor table gave her a loud cheer which only resulted in her turning scarlet and looking more nervous than ever. Dippet beamed at her before continuing.

"You're new headmaster is our former Transfiguration teacher… Professor Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore was a tall man with greying red hair and flowing purple robes. He stood up next to Dippet and there was a loud roar from the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. Bellatrix gave him a polite clap.

"Albus, I believe the honour of giving the start of year speech is now yours," said Dippet. "If you would all excuse me…"

Dippet waved his wand and a flowery, carpet suitcase appeared next to him.

"I have to apparate to Australia for a nice, long holiday."

Dippet strode towards the door and levitated the suitcase behind him. The students gave him the loudest cheer off all…some even got to their feet.

"Thank you for the warm welcome, Professor!" called Dumbledore over the thunderous applause. "Goodbye old friend… I hope you enjoy the climate!"

Dippet gave one last wave and smile before leaving the great hall. Dumbledore raised his hands as Dippet had done and the students fell silent.

"Before we devour our delicious feast I would like to say a few words," said Dumbledore happily. "Peanut, squeal, wacky and bucket."

And then he sat down. The older students clapped and the first years followed their example hesitantly. McGonagall didn't clap and, judging from the expression on her face, she wanted to quit then and there.

"Is this Dumbledore bloke… a few sandwiches short of a picnic or something?" murmured Ted.

"Probably," responded Frank.

Frank caught sight of Bellatrix on the Slytherin table. She her expression was very similar to McGonagall's. Frank chuckled. Before he could catch her attention, the plates before them were filled with delicious food.

Ted's mouth fell open.

"Have you ever seen so much food in your entire life?" said Ted weakly. "And it just appeared outta nowhere… 'mazing…"

He immediately began helping himself to a bit of everything. Frank copied him without much persuasion. Bellatrix was cheerfully helping herself to some steak and kidney pie.

After a dessert of chocolate cake and pudding, Frank was beginning to feel quite tired. Dumbledore cheerfully sent them all to bed. A tall (or at least he seemed tall to the first years) prefect with flaming red hair, Fabian Prewett, ushered the warm and sleepy Gryffindor, first years upstairs. When they were some distance away from the portrait of the fat lady, he stopped and grimaced.

"You'd probably figure this out for yourselves but I should put you on your guard," muttered Fabian. "Don't mess with the Slytherins, guys. They're sneaky little shits…the lot of them."

The first years, being only eleven and unused to profanity, took his words very seriously. Ted swallowed and nodded rapidly. Frank cast him a glance before looking back at Fabian.

"Bellatrix Black's alright," said Frank quietly. "I spoke to her on the train."

Fabian looked at him in surprise but his expression turned stern.

"Black?" said Fabian harshly. "I know that family. They're all prejudiced, arrogant…and her father Cygnus is a bastard. Trust me kid. _Stay away._"

Frank jerked his head. Fabian took this as a 'yes' and continued to lead the young Gryffindors to the common room. Ted cast his new friend a glance. Frank was glaring at the back of Fabian's head and looked nothing short of rebellious.

"You're not going to stay away are you?" asked Ted shrewdly.

"No," said Frank stiffly. "Bella's a bit…stroppy…at first but she's okay once you get to know her. I'm not in the habit of ditching friends just because someone said to."

Ted looked at Frank sceptically. Frank shrugged.

"Anyway, she's the only girl I know who doesn't mind talking about Quidditch," said Frank. "That's gotta count for something."

"Ker-what-itch?"

Frank stared at Ted in disbelief. He raised his hands defensively.

"Hey, I'm new to this whole magic thing," said Ted. "Mum's a… whadeyah call em?"

"Muggle?" supplied Frank, politely not questioning Ted about his father.

Ted nodded. Frank grinned.

"Prepare to be educated on the greatest sport invented by wizard kind. In the morning though…I'm absolutely knackered."


	2. Friends and Enemies

Friends and Enemies

Bellatrix and Ted had a love-hate relationship. At first, they _hated_ each other and _loved_ causing each other as much grief as possible. But when it became clear that Frank was becoming very annoyed with the both of them, Bellatrix and Ted made a silent agreement to tolerate each other.

This agreement worked surprisingly well. Bellatrix found that the remarkably scruffy muggleborn who referred to her by a number of different titles (apparently derived from the names of muggle movie villains) was not as irritating when she was polite to him. Ted found that over achieving Slytherin who could be incredibly rude at times could also be nice if she liked you and if she was in an exceptionally good mood.

On the first week back in their third year, Ted found Bellatrix outside, sitting on the grass, reading an old library book bound in tatty black fabric. In faded gold, the words _Curses for the Enemy by Ferdinand Greyback_ was written on the front cover. It was a glorious Saturday morning and quite a brilliant day to be outdoors…and find a way to annoy Bellatrix.

"Oh look... it's the wicked witch from the west," said Ted.

Bellatrix didn't even look up at him. She didn't even bother pointing out the she lived in _East_ Sussex.

"Good morning mudblood," she said impassively, her eyes still fixed on her book.

Ted opened his mouth to say something but closed it. He frowned at Bellatrix as she read. When she became aware that Ted was starring at her, Bellatrix looked up in surprise.

"Are you alright?" asked Ted.

Bellatrix put on a frown to match Ted's.

"I think so…why?" she asked.

"You're never cheerful after holidays," said Ted. "You didn't even try to hit me with your book bag today."

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows. It was true that she didn't like going home at all but surely she wasn't _that_ bad when she came back. _Was she?_

"You sound disappointed," said Bellatrix, her lips curling in a sneer. "Do you _like_ pain? If that's the case I can always just curse-"

"I'm fine," said Ted hurriedly. "Just… why so cheerful?"

Bellatrix smiled. This simple action made Ted even more worried. He began to think that maybe she had hit her head or breathed in toxic fumes during Potions. When she spoke, her usually cold, calculating voice was light and _almost_ bubbly. Ted had no doubt in his mind that Bellatrix was very happy about something.

"My sister was sorted into Slytherin yesterday," she said, her voice almost overflowing with pride. "And I'm going to Quidditch tryouts today."

Ted starred. His surprise was torn between the fact that Bellatrix actually got along with another human being beside Frank (Ted wasn't counted…she still called him mudblood) and the fact that a girl was trying out for the Slytherin Quidditch team. As far as he knew, there hadn't been a girl on the Slytherin Quidditch team for about three hundred years.

"Quidditch tryouts?" repeated Ted in disbelief. "You?"

Bellatrix's smile was slightly compromised by a hint of hostility.

"Yes… do you find that hard to believe?" she said dangerously, as if daring Ted to question her ability.

"That depends," said Ted carefully. "What position do you play?"

"Beater," answered Bellatrix stiffly.

It took all Ted's self-restraint not to laugh. His mouth twitched as he tried to open his mouth without getting cursed.

"Bella," he said slowly. "Beaters are generally a bit more…muscle. Err…I'm just generalising mind you…but girls just aren't built that way."

"I compensate," said Bellatrix simply.

She was smiling again though her smile was a little more sinister than before. Ted chose that opportunity to change the subject.

"Right…Your sister…she's the little brown haired one that looks a bit like you?" he mumbled.

"Andromeda Black."

Ted blinked.

"What the hell kind of a name…does she have a nickname at least?" he asked incredulously.

Bellatrix's smile turned in a bit of a sneer. She seemed to be finding something funny.

"Cissy and I call her Dromeda," she said.

Ted stuck out his tongue.

"That's a horrid nick name...what about Annie? Or Anna? Or Andy?"

"I like Dromeda," said someone coldly from behind him.

Ted winced and turned around. His gaze met another pair of dark, heavily lidded eyes. Andromeda Black was a little shorter than her sister but she had the same beautiful features. She seemed to take great pains to look perfect. There wasn't a crease in her robes and there wasn't a mousy brown hair out of place. Ted found himself trying to straiten his robes without Andromeda noticing.

"Err…I'm Ted Tonks," muttered Ted.

Andromeda frowned and scrutinised him from head to toe as her sister would have done.

"I haven't seen you before...or heard of your family for that matter," she said stiffly.

"Well, I'm a muggleborn," said Ted.

Andromeda's mouth twitched and she gave Bellatrix a surprised and disapproving look. Bellatrix only shrugged and kept reading. Andromeda turned her back to Ted and spoke to Bellatrix. It was clear that she was trying to pretend the Gryffindor wasn't there.

"Bella, are you heading to the pitch?" she asked quietly.

"I'll be down in a minute," said Bellatrix.

Andromeda glanced over her shoulder at Ted and back to Bellatrix. She dropped her voice.

"Listen" she whispered, "I don't think this is a good-"

Bellatrix snapped her book shut.

"Don't start Dromeda," said Bellatrix loudly. "I know perfectly well that father won't approve. That's partly why I'm doing this."

Andromeda scowled.

"You're _insane_."

Ted snorted.

"That's for sure," he said with a laugh.

Andromeda starred at Ted. As far as she was concerned, Ted didn't have the right to speak to Bellatrix like that. Her nose wrinkled and gave her face a rather ugly expression.

"_You're_ not coming, are you?" she asked.

"Nah...I'm on the Gryffindor team," said Ted.

Andromeda sneered…very much like Bellatrix did.

"What are you?" she scoffed. "The water boy?"

Andromeda ignored Bellatrix's reproachful glance. Being mean to Ted was only okay when Bellatrix did it and that comment was just _low_. Most males hated it when their sporting ability was questioned and it was a boundary that even Bellatrix respected. Ted turned red with mingled anger and humiliation. Andromeda's sneer grew more pronounced with satisfaction.

"Keeper," snarled Ted.

"Indeed," said Andromeda mockingly. "Gryffindor really must be scrapping rock bottom."

Andromeda starred meaning at Ted's protruding stomach. His mouth fell open in indignation and she turned her back on him again.

"See you at the pitch Bella," said Andromeda with a smile.

Bellatrix chuckled at Ted as her sister left. Ted wasn't happy.

"She's as nasty as you are," he snarled. "No... She's _worse_ than you are!"

Bellatrix got to her feet and gave Ted a pat on the back with mock sympathy. Ted grimaced.

"Get used to her mudboy…You're going to have to put up with her for five years."


	3. The Balance

The Balance

As Ted predicted, the Slytherin Quidditch team responded badly to the idea of having Bellatrix as beater...but not nearly as badly as Bellatrix responded to their blatant discrimination. As the hexes were traded however, they began to see things Bellatrix's way.

Despite the somewhat rocky start, being the only girl on the Slytherin quidditch team had its advantages. Bellatrix managed to salvage the team from the brink of disaster. It was something she did without even realising it. The faster she flew, the better she played... the harder her team mates tried to prove that they were her superiors. They were a far more formidable adversary now that Bellatrix had brought them all into line.

After several brilliant displays between the two arch-rival teams, Ted christened Bellatrix 'the one woman demolition team'. This suited Frank fine. He always up for a little healthy competition... though the matches between Slytherin and Gryffindor generally turn ugly on principal. After two years of blood, sweat and trying as hard as possible to find an excuse to kick Bellatrix off the team... Slytherin finally managed to tie with Gryffindor. Slytherin won the match after a gruelling shoot out that had the spectators biting their nails.

But now Bellatrix had a new problem in the form of Gideon Prewett... one of the Gryffindor chasers.

The Prewetts were an unusual pureblood family in many ways. They were not as influential as the Crouches or as wealthy the Malfoys or the Potter or as well known (infamous) as the Blacks. Even so, Mr. and Mrs. Prewett were determined to establish their family and would use any means to do so... including rejecting muggleborns. Poor Molly Prewett was usually dragged along during their exploits. They were what the Black family considered to be common social climbers.

Their sons, Fabian and Gideon, took the opposite line. Years of being paraded in front of the elite of society had only embittered them. They were true Gryffindors. They defended muggleborns to the point of being ridiculous; stirring up trouble and making enemies. Fabian had a little more common sense than his younger brother and managed not to start as many quarrels...but had left Hogwarts in Bellatrix and Frank's fourth year, leaving his brother to make a mess of things.

About a week or so after Slytherin's triumph, and Gryffindor's horror, Bellatrix found herself being cornered in an empty corridor by Gideon. It wasn't the first time she had had an encounter with the Gryffindor hothead. Bellatrix did not like being cornered and responded in her usual manner. She shoved past him and continued to head towards the dungeons. To her fury, Gideon caught her arm before she could escape and seemed awfully smug about it.

"Where are you going?" he sneered. "I just want to chat."

Bellatrix roughly pulled her arm out of his grasp and gave him a cold glare.

"About what?" she snarled.

Gideon leant against the stone wall and crossed his arms.

"How did you get on the Slytherin quidditch team?" he asked. "Did you give Rowle a kiss? Or was it more of a permanent arrangement?"

Bellatrix had received so many comments like this one they simply rolled off. She considered being offended and hexing him... but decided that a comment of her own would give her more satisfaction. Gideon was clearly trying to get a rise out of her and she wasn't intending to go for his bait. To Gideon's surprise, she only smiled at him... it wasn't a particularly nice smile.

"I wonder how badly I hurt your ego when I knocked you off your broomstick, Prewett," she said ever so sweetly. "I think my bludger left marks."

Gideon blushed unpleasantly. Bellatrix admired the affect against his red hair. He looked exceptionally foolish now...her work was done. She gave him another sinister smile and continued on her way to the dungeons.

"How's your dad, Black?" called Gideon after her.

Bellatrix froze. When she turned around again, she wasn't smiling. The colour had drained from her face and her hands were quivering with fury. Gideon had overstepped an invisible boundary.

"Shut up," she said quietly.

Gideon sneered triumphantly. It was clear he either was stupid, suicidal or was up to something... or maybe he just didn't think Bellatrix was capable of doing much damage. Bellatrix was far too angry to consider his motives.

"Is he still on three bottles a day?" he continued mercilessly. "Or has your mother hidden the firewhiskey?"

Bellatrix's hand twitched automatically towards her wand but she stopped. At that moment there was nothing she could do to Gideon to give her real satisfaction. She wanted him crawling before her so he knew what it felt like. She couldn't do that with the curses she had learnt from the library or even the ones from her father's small collection of dark books. With a cry of frustration she stormed away from Gideon. _She get him one day... she make him pay... she'd wipe the grin of the common gutter-snipe's face..._

She was so beside herself that she ran straight into a familiar, lanky fifth year. Frank steadied himself and looked at her in alarm.

"Bella..." he began worried.

Bellatrix didn't let him finish. She brushed past him and sped away before he could stop her. He stared at her in surprise as she left. When she turned the corner and vanished from his sight, he slowly turned to glare at Gideon. He had a very smug look on his face. Frank balled his hands into fists.

"What did you say to her?" he snarled dangerously

Gideon's look changed to one of surprise and disgust. Defending a Slytherin was blasphemy in his books. He tried to walk away but Frank stepped in front of him and blocked his path. Gideon was a great deal taller than the lanky fifth year was so this gesture wasn't as threatening as Frank would have liked.

"Get out of my face, Longbottom," said Gideon roughly. "What do you care what I say to that stuck up, Slytherin bit-"

Frank didn't let Gideon finish his sentence. He slammed his fist into Gideon's jaw and knocking him clean off his feet. Frank would have hit him again if a pair of arms did not pull him back. A very alarmed and confused Ted stood between Frank and the fallen seventh year. Frank was still furious.

"Get off me!" he hissed, struggling to get past Ted.

"Frank... Relax!" said Ted loudly.

By some miracle, Frank managed to stop himself from pummelling Gideon. By this time the seventh year had struggled to his feet and was intent on murdering Frank. Ted stood between them and raised his hands up defensively.

"Easy Gideon..." he said hastily. "We're all Gryffindors here... we can sort this out."

Gideon shoved Ted in the chest and he lost his balance. Frank started forward again only to meet Ted's glare. Ted steadied himself and put up his hands again.

"Out of my way Tonks!" roared Gideon.

Ted managed not to flinch.

"The teachers will be on their way soon," he said calmly. "They're always coming through this corridor. I suggest we resume this friendly discussion after we've cooled down a little."

The unmistakeable sound of footsteps rang through the corridor. Gideon pointed a menacing finger at Frank.

"This isn't over, Longbottom!"

Gideon stormed back towards the common room. Ted threw Frank a dirty look before seizing his arm and dragging him to the nearest empty classroom. He slammed the door behind them and rounded on his still angry friend.

"Did Bella give you _brain damage_ with that bludger?" shouted Ted. "Gideon would have ripped you apart!"

Frank said something about 'defending Bella' through gritted teeth. Ted stared.

"This is about _Bella_?" said Ted in pure disbelief. "Frank... you're screwing with the Balance!"

The peculiar statement was enough to relieve Frank of most of his hostility.

"The... balance?" he repeated enquiringly.

Ted gave Frank a look that you would give a small child who didn't know what a wand was.

"The sacred Balance between Gryffindor and Slytherin...not to be tampered with under any circumstances," said Ted wisely. "Rule one of the Balance... ignorance is bliss."

Frank blinked.

"Are you _trying_ to make sense?" he asked incredulously.

"Let me explain," said Ted condescendingly.

Ted sat Frank down at a desk and reminded Frank forcefully of Professor Slughorn.

"The only reason Bella isn't taking shit from the Slytherins as well as the Gryffindors is because _they don't know she's hanging out with you_," said Ted slowly. "Trying to beat the crap out of a crazy-as-arse seventh year built like a troll on steroids because he was being _mean_ to her... looks a little strange, don't you think?"

Frank wasn't entirely sure what a steroid was but he got the point.

"None of the Slytherins were defending her!" protested Frank.

Ted sighed impatiently.

"One...Bella doesn't _need_ defending. I have the curse marks to prove it. Two...the Slytherins weren't even there...Three... they're Slytherins, Frank. They don't _do_ brainless chivalry."

Frank opened his mouth to say something and then closed it.

"Someone had to do something..." mumbled Frank.

Ted grimaced and sat next to Frank.

"Well, you did something," he said with a sigh. "Now Gideon is after our blood and everyone thinks you have a thing for Bella..."

Ted chuckled at his own joke and waited Frank for to shout at him as one would when confronted with such a statement. Frank didn't say anything. Ted's laughed died out and he looked at Frank in concern. His friend had turned bright scarlet in a manner that would make Arthur Weasley proud.

"Frank..." said Ted slowly. "What-"

Realisation hit Ted like a bludger with two inch spikes. His jaw fell open and his eyes widened. Frank bit his lip and waited for the explosion.

"Oh no..." whispered Ted. "Oh no..."

"Ted-" began Frank.

Ted jumped to his feet.

"Oh _shit_!"

Frank winced as Ted's language took a turn for the worst for a few minutes.

"How long has this been going on?" asked Ted loudly, when he had finally vented his anxiety.

"I don't know," said Frank quietly, "A while, I guess."

Ted's mouth opened and closed stupidly for another minute. He tried...and failed... to find logic in Frank's thinking.

"But...Bella? Don't get me wrong... I like Bella too..." Ted stopped when he saw the shocked expression on Frank's face and clarified. "...in a _completely_ non-romantic way... but Frank, she's a Slytherin with _serious_ anger management issues."

"I don't care about her being a Slytherin! She's..."

Frank trailed off as he tried to find the words to describe Bellatrix. She was as tough as nails yet no one...Slytherin or otherwise... could doubt the fact that she would do anything for her sisters. She was incredibly loyal and one of the most intelligent people Frank had ever met. He could talk to her about almost anything...and she had a wicked sense of humour.

Somehow it felt strange relaying these feelings to Ted.

"Homicidal?" supplied Ted dully.

"_Homicidal_? I just got into a fight, didn't I?" snapped Frank.

"Oh it's a match made in heaven then..." said Ted mockingly. "Forget You-Know-Who... you two will take over the world and make all pay homage to Quidditch!"

"It's _not_ funny, Ted!" shouted Frank.

"No, it's not!" Ted shouted back. "_The Balance_, Frank! The Balance!"

Ted took a deep breath and sat down next to Frank again.

"Have you...told her?" he asked, struggling to remain composed.

Frank shook his head.

"Why not?" asked Ted, slightly confused. "You like her, don't you?"

"She's my friend, Ted," mumbled Frank. "If I...say anything...she'll think... she'll think I'm like the rest of them."

"You mean like the other Slytherin arseho-"

Ted stopped and cleared his throat.

"Err...the other purebloods?"

Frank nodded slightly. After a few minutes of silence, he got to his feet and headed towards the door.

"I'm going to try and find Bella," he said quietly. "See if she's alright."

Ted grimaced.

"You're totally screwed, you know that?" he called after Frank.

Frank didn't answer. They way things were looking now... Ted was right.


	4. Nothing to Prove

Nothing to Prove

Frank found Bellatrix in the dustiest part of the library; behind the shelf just before the restricted section. It contained rare books about defensive magic that were not quite bad enough to be deemed dark magic but not exactly suitable for students either. Madam Pince tried to make the shelf seem presentable but her feather duster seemed to add more dust that it removed. Bellatrix was leaning against the shelf with her arms folded. She was having a glaring competition with the wall.

From the look she was giving it, Frank was mildly surprised that the wall didn't spontaneously combust.

She didn't move as he approached her…though perhaps anyone else would have been hexed at this point. Frank hesitated before putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. Bellatrix shrugged him off violently and he bit his lip. _So she was in one of _those_ moods…_

"Err… are you alright?" he mumbled.

Bellatrix finally looked away from the wall. She did not meet Frank's eyes but stared at nothing in particular.

"I will be," she said, her voice trembling with the effort of keeping it under control, "once I think of a curse I can use on that…"

Bellatrix trailed off and her mouth curled into an ugly snarl. She was not usually averse to swearing so Frank suspected that mere words did not do Gideon justice.

"You don't need to curse, Prewett," said Frank quietly.

Bellatrix slowly turned to glower at Frank.

"Why ever not?" she asked through clenched teeth.

Frank took a breath.

"Because I hit him for you," he mumbled.

The anger completely left Bellatrix's face and left it a mask of pure shock. After a moments silence, Frank grimaced.

"Say something," he muttered.

Bellatrix's mouth opened and closed for several seconds.

"You…" she began.

She shook her head in disbelief…and her disbelief turned into anger once more.

"You …_idiot_!"

Frank froze. Bellatrix stormed up to him, her face inches from his. She had never been this angry with Frank before.

"I don't need you to fight for me!" snarled Bellatrix. "I don't need _anyone_ to fight for me!"

As Frank processed what Bellatrix was saying, his temper began to turn foul. He knew she was upset but she had no right to have a go at _him_.

"Oh yeah?" he said loudly. "Then why did you run away? You were about to cry!"

Bellatrix turned scarlet.

"I was _not_ about to cry!" she hissed. "How dare you…"

Bellatrix took a deep breath and managed to calm herself a little. She met Frank's furious glare with a cold one of her own.

"You don't understand," she said.

"Explain then," demanded Frank.

"Prewett will think that I'm-"

Frank let out a mocking laugh of disbelief before she could finish. Bellatrix did not like being interrupted. Her hands balled themselves into fists.

"Since when did you care what _Gideon Prewett_ thinks of you?" asked Frank incredulously.

"Since he started thinking that I'm a weak, insignificant female that needs a pureblood male _like you_ to look after me!" she snapped.

"So you're putting me in the same category as all the people you _hate_?" fumed Frank.

"Right now I do hate you!" she snapped. "Why would you do something so bloody _stupid_?"

Bellatrix instantly regretted her words. Frank looked as if she had slapped him. He looked more hurt than she had ever seen him.

"Why do you _think_?" he shouted.

Before Bellatrix could say anything, Madam Pince came striding towards them. Brandishing her filthy feather duster like a weapon, she resembled a half-starved vulture masquerading as a cleaning lady.

"Mr. Longbottom, I will not have shouting in my library!" she said shrilly. "_Out!_"

Frank turned around and stalked out of the library without even an apology to Madam Pince. Bellatrix stared at the place Frank had been standing moments ago, feeling considerably worse than she had before.

Frank avoided Bellatrix the next day. When she tried to talk to him he left abruptly. She finally managed to corner him in the dungeons before dinner. Unfortunately for her, it was during Frank's remedial potions class.

Frank lacked the patience and the accuracy for a good potion maker. Professor Slughorn knew of Frank's ambitions to be an Auror and made a point to do whatever he could to help. The classes were something like a weekly torture session during which Frank gingerly added ingredients to a potion and hoped they didn't explode.

He was generally not in a good mood during these lessons. For one, it usually cut into dinner and no one can be in a good mood if they're hungry…_especially_ not teenage boys.

Tonight it was worse. His hand was wrapped in a bandage so clearly he had already burnt himself and he was swearing under his breath.

Frank froze when he saw Bellatrix standing hesitantly in the doorway. He scowled and returned to his work.

"What do you want, Bellatrix?" he asked sharply.

Bellatrix stepped inside closed the door behind her. She opened her mouth a few times but seemed unable to speak.

"Do you need help with this?" she said finally, gesturing to Frank's concoction which now resembled dark blue cement.

Frank picked up a spoon forcefully and began to try and stir his potion.

"No," he said a little too loudly.

Bellatrix frowned.

"It's…blue."

"Your point?" snarled Frank.

"It should be orange," said Bellatrix slowly.

Frank stopped stirring. He glanced at the book and at his potion and back again.

"Oh," he mumbled.

He read through the instructions again. After a few moments of looking blankly at the instructions and the cauldron in turns, his shoulders sagged in defeat.

"I suppose you could help if you want," said Frank quietly, avoiding Bellatrix's eyes.

Bellatrix mumbled incomprehensibly and gestured towards the book. Frank grimaced and handed it to her. She scanned through the instructions and glanced at Frank's cauldron.

"You've forgotten the beetle juice," she said, "and you've put too much armadillo bile."

Bellatrix was going to add 'among other things' but thought better of it. She'd wait until he was in a better mood. She gave him instructions and advice and, half an hour later, a watery, orange potion, bubbled away in Frank's cauldron.

"Thanks," mumbled Frank. "I thought I was going to be here all night."

He started to clear up the bench, still avoiding her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Frank looked up at Bellatrix in surprised. She was not accustomed to apologizing. Only those who knew her well knew when she was truly sorry. The fact that she had actually used words to apologize showed just how upset she was.

"I don't hate you at all," she said hurriedly, "and you're not an idiot...and I-"

Frank put up a hand to stop her, all anger forgotten.

"It's alright," he said. "Don't worry about it Bella."

"No it's not," said Bellatrix loudly. "I had no right to speak to you like that. It's just…"

She trailed off.

"…I'm not used to being… helped by anyone," she said, after a long pause. "I've always had to prove myself."

"You were upset…and I was being a bit of a jerk too. Sorry."

"So…are we okay then?" she asked softly.

Frank nodded and smiled. Bellatrix tried to hide a smile of her own and continued to help Frank pack away the ingredients.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," she said, when they were done.

She was just at the door when Frank suddenly looked up.

"Bella wait!" he called.

Bellatrix turned around. Frank hurried up to her, a strange expression on his face.

"You don't have to prove anything to me," said Frank hurriedly.

Before reason could come to his aid, he kissed Bellatrix on the mouth. Frank drew back and gave Bellatrix a look that almost seemed apologetic.

Bellatrix didn't say anything. She didn't look angry but then again, it was hard to tell with Bellatrix. She could look completely impassive and want to scalp you at the same time.

"That explains a lot," she said, in an almost matter of fact way.

Frank took her lack of hostility as a sign to continue.

"Umm…Bella, I-" he began.

Bellatrix put up a hand to stop him.

"Oh _please_ don't give me a sentimental speech," she said, rolling her eyes.

With that, she smiled and returned the kiss. After some time, Bellatrix numbly registered the sound of someone arguing outside but was far too elated to give it much thought.

The door to the classroom was opened violently and two people, who had been at each others throats, stormed inside. Bellatrix and Frank broke apart and found themselves looking at Ted and Andromeda, frozen in shock. Bellatrix tried not to laugh at the expression on Andromeda's face… she looked like Ted had kissed _her_.

Ted cleared his throat and determinedly looked away from Bellatrix and Frank as he spoke. As the words poured out of his mouth in a jumbled rush, he was steadily turning scarlet. It was a great contrast to Andromeda who was as white as a sheet.

"W-We… umm… not Andromeda… she didn't… want to come…" Ted something about her having vast amounts of homework and took a breath. "Umm… I was going to… err… ask about the… next Hogsmead trip... and Andromeda was looking for Bella… but it looks like you're… well…busy."

Bellatrix and Frank exchanged smiles. Bellatrix then turned to Ted.

"Theodore," she said carefully, as one would talk to someone very slow to understand. "Please go away."

The fact that Ted did not react to his name showed exactly what kind of state he was in.

"Oh…right…o' course…" he said, his words barely incoherent.

He walked back towards the door but stopped when he noticed that Andromeda had not moved a muscle.

"Well, come on then," he said to her.

Andromeda was in such a state of shock that she actually allowed Ted to take her arm and steer her out of the room. When he and Andromeda were outside, Ted let go of her arm very quickly and raised his eyebrows at her.

"You look like hell," he observed.

Andromeda shook her head in disbelief and put a hand to her forehead.

"He's a blood traitor!" she cried suddenly, making Ted jump.

When he processed what she was saying, Ted rolled his eyes.

"Don't you just hate that?" he said sarcastically. "The nerve of blood traitors these days…"

"You don't understand, Tonks! Father will _kill_ her!"

With a cry of frustration, Andromeda stormed towards the Slytherin common room. Shaking his head and muttering about purebloods, Ted headed in the opposite direction.

Ted glowered at Frank during their free lesson. His friend had been in a disgustingly cheerful mood all morning.

"Can I make a request?" muttered Ted.

Frank looked at Ted enquiringly, trying to hide a broad smile.

"Can you and Bella please…" Ted shuddered before speaking, "…warn me before you start snogging?"

Frank turned red and did not respond.

"What about a big 'DO NOT DISBTURB' sign on the dungeon door?" said Ted sardonically. "Remarkably romantic setting by the way."

"Why don't you try _knocking_?" snapped Frank.

"Hey!" shouted someone from behind them.

Frank slowly turned around. Gideon Prewett, flanked by one of his friends, crept into the hall.

"You and I have unfinished business, Longbottom," snarled Gideon, his hand clenched tightly onto his wand.

Ted winced.

"I suppose it _is_ a little late for an apology," he muttered so only Frank could hear.

Frank ignored him, his eyes fixed on Gideon.

"Do you want to take this outside?" asked Frank evenly.

Gideon's friend laughed. Frank was, after all, built like a seeker. Frank calmly waited for the laughs to subside. Gideon silenced his friend with a glare and nodded.

"Fine," said the seventh year. "Who's your second?"

Ted turned pale. Dueling was not his strong point. He was more a diplomat than a fighter. Frank pretended not to notice this.

"No seconds," said Frank. "Just you and me…by the lake."

Gideon and his friend brushed past Frank and Ted and took the lead. Gideon shoved into Frank with unnecessary forcefulness. Ted groaned.

"What_ is it_ with purebloods and being theatrical?" he hissed at Frank. "Can't you just hit each other and get it over with like everyone else?"

"No," answered Frank.

When they reached the lake, Frank and Gideon faced each other wands drawn. Ted and Gideon's friend stood a good distance away.

"This is not going to be good…" mumbled Ted.

Gideon sent a jet of red sparks at Frank, testing the water. Frank knocked it back deftly. Soon curses were flying back and forth. Gideon was far more experienced with non-verbal spells but Frank had a larger inventory of spells thanks to Bellatrix and her books full of curses. Gideon fell forward after a poorly cast blocking charm barely knocked back a powerful hex from Frank. Frank took advantage of his weakness instantly.

"Expelliarmus!" he cried.

Gideon's wand hit the ground just before Frank. In an instant, Gideon's friend drew his wand and fired a white hot flame at Frank's head. Frank ducked to avoid the spell, nearly losing his balance. Gideon managed to grab his wand again.

"That's cheating, you wanker!" shouted Ted furiously, drawing his wand.

Ted and Gideon's friend fired curses at each other at the same time. Ted managed to hit him with the full-body bind but was hit hard in the stomach by a curse in the process. He fell forward on his hands and knees.

Frank started towards Ted to help him but Gideon's next curse knocked him to the ground. Before Gideon could open his mouth to curse him, he found himself being attacked by giant, flying bogies. When he fell to the ground, trying to beat them off, Frank saw Bellatrix standing behind him. She pocketed her wand, smirking contemptuously at the fallen seventh year.

"I've been waiting _all_ year to do that," said Bellatrix pleasantly.

She stepped over the squirming Gideon and helped Frank to his feet.

"Now we're even," she smiled.

Ted pulled himself off the floor.

"Bugger me, that hurt," he groaned.

Bellatrix and Frank were smiling at each other and weren't paying him much attention. Ted scowled.

"I'm fine," he said bitterly. "Thanks for asking."

Bellatrix pouted at Ted over her shoulder and his scowl grew more pronounced.

"Did itty, bitty, baby Teddy get hurted?" sneered Bellatrix.

"Oh it's nothing," grimaced Ted. "My bruises will be a delightful purple colour in the morning."

Frank winced apologetically.

"Thanks for that Ted," he said.

Ted stretched his back from side to side before speaking.

"Anytime mate…" he muttered. "Now if you'd excuse me, I'm going to leave before you two get all sappy... and before that curse wears off Gideon."

With one last wince, he turned, waved over his shoulder and set off.

"We promise not to read poetry to each other," Bellatrix called after him.

"Bye Bellatrix," said Ted loudly, before practically fleeing up to the common room.

Bellatrix and Frank headed back up to the castle. Frank cast a slightly regretful glance at Gideon as they left.

"You're not supposed to interrupt duels," he said. "It's cheating."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"Oh stop being such a Gryffindor."


	5. Family Feud

Family Feud

Everything was changing.

The War had never seemed real. It had always been somewhere else… someone else. In Hogwarts everything was so protected. Nothing could touch them with Dumbledore in charge. But now that they were in seventh year, the world seemed only too real. They were about to enter it… a world of Dark Lords rising and Death Eaters conquering.

Frank was going to apply to train as an Auror when his results came in. Bellatrix knew he'd get in. His marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts were as good as if not better than hers and he had worked well into the night to scrape an Outstanding in Potions. It didn't hurt that he had Bellatrix to practise duelling and potion making with.

Though she'd never admit it out loud, Bellatrix envied Frank. He would have a chance to fight for what he believed in. He would never feel idle and useless in the Auror's Office... but Bellatrix? When school ended, she would be trapped in her house, day in and day out, with someone she despised with all her heart.

Needless to say, when the last day of school came, Bellatrix was not happy. She stood outside the great hall, stony faced, willing her legs to walk inside. She could hear the sound of students laughing and chatting. Judging from the noise, nearly everyone was there already.

But she couldn't bring herself to move. She couldn't celebrate leaving the only place she hadn't felt secluded and worthless.

Someone touched her shoulder. Bellatrix didn't react. There was only one person who would touch her like this… and that was Frank.

"You don't really want to go home," said Frank quietly.

Bellatrix grimaced and glanced at Frank from over her shoulder. It was a surprisingly difficult feat to accomplish. Frank had grown about a foot and a half in the past two years. He was still a beanpole though, all elbows and knees.

"Am I that obvious?" asked Bellatrix, turning around to face him.

"Well… the last time you looked like this, Macnair spent a three days in the hospital wing and you spent a month in detention," said Frank with a smirk.

Bellatrix's mouth twitched into something that resembled a smile but it was gone as quickly as it came. It was a memory that gave her a fair bit of amusement and satisfaction but it came with a twinge of sadness. It was something else that she was leaving behind. Frank noticed that he hadn't made her feel any better and hesitated for a moment.

"You know...you don't have to go home," said Frank. "You're seventeen now."

"And then what?" said Bellatrix with a small, bitter laugh. "Stay with you?"

Bellatrix's bitter laugh ended abruptly when she noticed the hopeful look on Frank's face. Her mouth fell open. Frank avoided her eyes and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"If you wanted," he mumbled finally.

Bellatrix's head was swimming. _Leave home… and live with Frank?_ She wouldn't have to be guarded all the time. She wouldn't be just another ornament on the Black Family tapestry. She could join him in the Auror's office. She could fight by him…as his equal.

It seemed almost too perfect.

"Do you… actually mean that?" breathed Bellatrix.

Frank began to grin broadly.

"Yeah," he said brightly. "I mean it."

She almost shouted 'yes' then and there...but then she remembered her sisters.

Her burning hope was abruptly extinguished. Bellatrix ran a hand through her hair and bit her lip. She _wanted_ to say yes. Frank noticed the anguish in her features and his broad grin faded.

"I can't leave, Frank… not yet," whispered Bellatrix. "I won't…I won't leave my sisters alone in that place."

Frank's shoulder sagged. Bellatrix squeezed her eyes close and let out a deep breath. _So much for that…_ She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the floor.

Frank had asked Bellatrix why she hated her home on several occasions. On all of which, she had given him nothing but snappy responses. Frank thought it was stupid… but Bellatrix still seemed to think that confiding in Frank was being weak. He'd have to change that at some point.

"Bella… you can tell me-" he began.

"It doesn't matter!" said Bellatrix sharply.

Frank was past being put of by Bellatrix's harshness at this stage. He gave her an infuriated look.

"Frank, I can handle it," said Bellatrix, through gritted teeth.

"You shouldn't _have_ to!" said Frank loudly.

Bellatrix crossed her arms and looked away from Frank pointedly. Frank grimaced. He really couldn't believe that after seven years Bellatrix _still_ didn't trust him enough.  
"Alright," he said with bitter resignation. "I'll leave it."

Bellatrix slowly uncrossed her arms. She knew today was going to be terrible… and didn't want Frank to be mad at her as well.

"I'm sorry," she said stiffly.

Frank's grimace became more pronounced.

"Yeah, me too," he muttered darkly.

Sick with disappointment, Bellatrix leaned against the stone was wall and leaned her head back.

"You'll only really be able to see me when my family has those ridiculous parties," she said, "and you hate those."

Frank resisted the urge to shudder. Edmund and Augusta Longbottom disliked the parties almost as must their son did but since Edmund worked at the Ministry they were obligated to at least turn up, smile, eat and leave.

"You hate them too, remember?" he said, with a slightly forced smile.

Frank touched her arm and Bellatrix's expression softened slightly.

"I can put up with them if you can," he said with a casual shrug, as though he didn't consider pureblood gatherings as some kind of cruel and unusual punishment.

Bellatrix reached up and kissed Frank on the cheek.

"Thanks," she said softly.

Frank smiled brightly when she did this.

"That reminds me," he said suddenly. "I've got something for you."

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"What's the occasion?" she asked. "Christmas isn't for months and you a little late for my birthday."

Frank shrugged again.

"It's the last day of school and all… I just thought you'd like it."

"It's not jewellery, is it?" said Bellatrix, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

Frank only smirked.

"Close your eyes," he said.

Bellatrix scowled.

"Frank, don't start being sappy now," she said coldly. "I'm not in the mood."

"Okay, okay…" laughed Frank, raising his palms in mock surrender. "You know I only said that to piss you off."

"Well done," said Bellatrix sarcastically.

Frank pulled out something from his book bag. It was a wooden box. It had been carefully carved from a dark coloured wood. The designs on the box were beautiful. Everything about it screamed expensive. Bellatrix gave Frank a disapproving look before carefully opening the lid.

Bellatrix gasped.

Lying on a bed of velvet was an ornate, silver knife. The hilt was covered in an intricate, swirling design that could only be the work of goblins. The design seeped onto the blade itself, which was thin but strong and _very_ sharp. With trembling hands, Bellatrix picked up the knife. It was a lot heavier than it looked but it seemed to fit perfectly in her hand as though it was just another part of her arm.

"Forgive me now?" asked Frank, still smirking.

Bellatrix nodded wordlessly, her mouth still open. Frank could have been as sappy as he wanted at this point.

"Where did you get it?" she breathed.

"Err… there's a little antique shop in Hogsmead," said Frank. "I picked it up from there a week back."

Bellatrix returned the knife to its box as though it was made of glass. She didn't think she had ever received a gift like that in her life. It was a credit to her self restraint that she didn't burst into tears all over Frank… that would be embarrassing.

"Out of curiosity, what exactly did you think I'd need this for?" she said, forcing herself to smirk to hide her emotion.

"It's for show, Bella," said Frank rolling his eyes, "and for Gideon Prewett when he toes the line."

Bellatrix laughed. Considering she had been miserable all week this was a significant improvement to her mood.

"I was going to give this to you on the train but since you've already given _me_ something," said Bellatrix.

She reached into her bag and pulled out a handsome, leather bound book. Frank took it and tried to smile. Bellatrix laughed again… this time at the look on his face. She was counting on that reaction.

"I know you're not much of a reader," she said, "but I thought you'd find this book interesting."

Frank tried not to look sceptical as he turned to the first page. The title instantly caught his eye.

_Battling the Dark Arts: Advanced Defensive Spells._

Frank flicked through the book with renewed interest. Each page had a new spell and clear illustrations and instructions. Frank couldn't imagine how useful this book as he trained as an Auror.

"Thanks Bella!" said Frank excitedly. "This is really-"

"There's something else," said Bellatrix quietly.

Frank ruffled his hair uncomfortably. She had already given him the book…

"You didn't have to-" he began.

Before Frank could finish his protest, Bellatrix reached up and kissed him on the mouth. She gave him her customary half-mock smile when she was finished.

"What was that, Frank?" she asked mischievously.

"Never mind," he mumbled, leaning in to return the kiss.

For one glorious moment, Bellatrix completely forgot that it was the last day of school. Nothing in the world was real except Frank...his hand on her hair and lips on hers. Someone was shouting in the corridor adjoining this one. Bellatrix tried to ignore it. _Why was someone always interrupting them?_

The sound of shouting grew louder. Frank stopped. He was Head Boy after all…

"Bella…" said Frank apologetically. "I should really-"

Bellatrix took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Someone better be sick or dying," she growled, stepping away from Frank.

"Let go!" shouted a boy angrily.

Bellatrix recognised his voice as a boy in her House, Severus Snape.

"Watch and learn Pete… this is how it's done," came a familiar voice from around the corner.

Bellatrix's mouth curled into a snarl. She knew that arrogant tone all too well.

"My demonic cousin is among them," she said lividly, "and his little friends, no doubt."

"Leave him alone, Potter!" shouted a girl, her voice echoing towards them.

Bellatrix gave Frank a look that said 'I told you so'. Frank turned red with anger. He knew that James and Sirius were trouble makers… but this?

"Or what, Evans?" sneered James Potter.

No one spoke for a moment.

"I-I'll... I'll curse you!" stammered the girl named Evans.

There was the sound of laugher. Bellatrix grimaced. Evans did not sound nearly convincing enough.

"Oh yeah?" said James. "Take your best shot, Evans."

Evans cried out and Sirius laughed. Bellatrix was not sure what James had done but Snape beside himself.

"Don't hurt her!" shouted Snape in a panic. "Lily-"

"I'm not going to curse a _girl_, Snivelly," said James in obvious disgust. "What do you think I am?"

It seemed that James had only taken Lily's wand off her.

"At least Potter's an _honourable_ little shit…" muttered Bellatrix.

Frank seemed to have taken personal insult to the fact that it was the Gryffindors who were doing the bullying.

"Cowards," said Frank angrily. "Someone needs to give those kids a talking to."

"Sirius is my cousin," said Bellatrix through her teeth. "I'll do it."

Frank paused for a moment. Somehow letting Bellatrix vent her rage on first years didn't seem like such a good idea. Bellatrix crossed her arms.

"Frank..." she glowered.

"Okay, fine... but no hexes," said Frank warningly.

"Killjoy."

Bellatrix strode towards the first years. James and Sirius had Snape cornered against the wall. The scrawny, pallid boy had been knocked off his feet. James was dangling Lily's wand out of her reach and mocking her as she tried to make a grab for it. A large boy Bellatrix knew as Peter was watching them with anticipation. Bellatrix clenched her hands into fists. _Must not curse first years... must not curse first years..._

Peter was the first to see Bellatrix. He yelped loudly, alerting Sirius and James to her presence.

"That's enough," said Bellatrix, her voice low and dangerous. "Get back to the Hall… _now._"

Sirius took a step towards Bellatrix, unfazed by her demeanour. There had always been little or no affection between the cousins. Bellatrix hated the fact that Sirius had been spoiled by his parents for being the eldest son in the family. She had always been cold and distant towards him. When Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor, it was his turn to be out of favour. As a Slytherin, Bellatrix was everything Sirius was expected to be and hated.

"I don't have to listen to _you_," said Sirius loudly.

Bellatrix smiled viciously.

"I don't have to curse you, pudgy and potty here... but I'll enjoy it," she said, with her mocking, singsong voice.

Sirius flushed. Peter squeaked and took jumped back. James turned a deep shade of red. Bellatrix turned to him, relishing his humiliation.

"Do you have something you wish to say, potty?" she sneered.

James stared at the floor.

"No," he said through clenched teeth.

Bellatrix's vicious smile widened.

"Good," she said. "Now I suggest you leave."

Sirius stalked off with Peter scampering behind him. James went to follow but Bellatrix seized his arm.

"Oh no, Potter..." whispered Bellatrix. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

James looked petrified. He had heard slightly exaggerated tales about Bellatrix from Sirius. Lily smirked at him and outstretched her hand for her wand.

If it was possible for James to turn any redder, he would have. Very reluctantly, he returned Lily's wand. Bellatrix let go of his arm and he fell forward. Once he steadied himself, he practically fled in the direction Sirius and Peter had gone. Bellatrix glanced behind her.

"All right there, Severus?" she said quietly.

Snape pulled himself of the ground. He stared at the floor, red with embarrassment and unable to meet Bellatrix's eyes.

"Yeah..." he muttered.

Lily beamed at Bellatrix, her features glowing with admiration.

"That was brilliant!" she said. "Potter nearly _wet_ himself!"

Bellatrix smirked.

"Word of advice, Evans," she said, "if you two learn a few good hexes and you'll have Potter and his posy running off like that in no time."

Lily bit her lip guiltly. Bellatrix sighed. From the look on her face, she had wanted to curse Potter all year but was simply too..._Gryffindor _to actually try it.

"I know you're capable, Evans. You shouldn't be afraid to leave a few hex marks on Potter's pretty face, Evans… bullies like that deserve it."

Lily nodded fiercely and her grip on her wand tightened. She was clearly taking Bellatrix's words to heart. Snape hadn't said a word and was still staring at the floor.

"Chin up, Snape," said Bellatrix, giving him a pat on the back, "you'll get your own back soon enough."

Snape managed to force a smile before heading towards the great hall with Lily. The muggleborn waved at Bellatrix over her shoulder as she left. Frank watched them go and came up to Bellatrix somewhat cautiously. She had seemed relatively calm while talking to Lily but somehow, she her mood seem to have taken a turn for the worst.

"You handled that well," he said.

"I'm not done yet," said Bellatrix sharply. "Where did Sirius go?"

"Err...towards the hall I think. Bella-"

Bellatrix was already gone. Sure enough, Sirius and his friends were stand outside the hall muttering darkly. James looked rather sullen after being made a fool of in front of Lily. Sirius looked rather like Bellatrix as he leaned against the wall and glared at the floor.

They were notified of Bellatrix's presence again by Peter who could always be counted on to yelp on her approach. Sirius jumped upright, his hands balled into fists.

"What do _you_ want?" he snarled.

"I want a word," said Bellatrix coldly.

She seized Sirius by the arm and yanked him away from his friends. James took a brave steep forward. Considering James only came up to Bellatrix's chest and had already been on the receiving end of her anger, it was a miracle he didn't run away then and there.

"Leave him alone!" he said loudly, trying to make himself seem taller and failing.

Sirius, who had shrugged off Bellatrix hand, gave James a warning look.

"Leave it, James," he muttered. "I'll be right."

James gave her a look as though he doubted it. Bellatrix rolled her eyes. _She wasn't about to cook Sirius in Snape's cauldron and feed him to the giant squid…_

"This is all very…_touching_," said Bellatrix dryly, "but I don't have all day."

She walked towards an empty classroom and Sirius reluctantly followed her. She glowered at him as he entered.

"You think you're really something, don't you?" she said with poorly veiled disgust. "Male, pureblood, rich… does that give the right to torment others?"

Sirius said nothing and stared out the window.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" shouted Bellatrix.

Sirius looked sharply away from the window and glared at her.

"You're not my mother!" spat Sirius.

"No, I'm not…" said Bellatrix, the vicious smile forming on her face again, "but how would you like me tell your friends how _fwightened_ you are of her?"

Sirius turned red. Bellatrix could see his hands trembling. She had hit a sore spot… if there was one thing she and Sirius had in common, it was that he hated home as much as she did.

"Shut up," he said, turning even redder as he spoke. "I'm not frightened of her."

Bellatrix ignored him and continued on mercilessly.

"How nasty mummy makes poor wittle Siwis crwy…"

With a furious shout, Sirius drew his wand and pointed it at Bellatrix.

"_Shut up!_"

For a moment, Bellatrix did nothing. Then she threw back her head and laughed. It was a cold and cruel laugh. She knew that the furious first year couldn't do a thing to her. She pushed aside his wand with her finger, mocking him with every gesture. Sirius quivered with rage.

"Potter wouldn't want to be friends someone as _pathetic_ as you," she said, her voice dripping with scorn.

Sirius lowered his wand. He was close to tears now but he would never give Bellatrix the satisfaction of seeing it.

"I _hate_ you!" he shouted.

When Bellatrix got over her shock, she felt the colour rising in her cheeks. His words had stung her more than Sirius could possibly imagine but she was going to teach him a lesson and if he hated her because of that..._fine._

"You're just like the rest of them," she said harshly. "A little Cygnus Black… and you'll end up like him."

Of everything Bellatrix had said this was the worst. Sirius went pale. The loathing on his face had been replaced by pure horror. Sirius knew what Cygnus was like and for Bellatrix to compare them...

"N-No," he stammered. "I'm not like them!"

"Then stop acting like them!" shouted Bellatrix.

Sirius couldn't take it anymore. He stormed out of the classroom and left Bellatrix alone. Bellatrix slammed her fist on the teacher's desk. Somehow this day had been worse than she had possibly imagined.


	6. Away From Home

Author's Note: A big thanks to my teacher Mr. Sarris for the translations.

* * *

Away From Home

Bellatrix had been completely unapproachable since she had argued with Sirius. The instant Frank saw her face he knew to keep his distance. Even Andromeda hadn't spoken a word to her. Poor Travers had tried to wish her good luck only to be given a glare that would have made Albus Dumbledore himself flinch.

Bellatrix, Frank, Ted and Andromeda had managed to get a train compartment to themselves, mainly because the entire school seemed to be giving Bellatrix a wide berth. Frank and Andromeda exchanged glances and continued to look pointedly away from Bellatrix while they sat. When the silence became too much, Andromeda took out a book and started to read.

Ted however, wouldn't let Bellatrix's sour mood ruin his moment. The prospect of returning home, saying hello to his mum, catching up with his friends and watching the cricket... was enough to make the muggleborn cheerful to the point of being irritating.

Ted, oblivious to the glare Bellatrix was giving him, was grinning broadly and looking out the window. After about ten minutes of silence, Bellatrix couldn't take any more of it.

"Will you _please_ stop smiling, Ted," she said with a small groan. "You're giving me a headache."

"Sorry Bella... but you know what they say," said Ted brightly. "There's no place like-"

"Quote that ridiculous, muggle picture show thing again and I will not be held responsible for my actions," snapped Bellatrix.

"Come on, Bella," said Ted indignantly. "The Wizard of Oz is a classic!"

Ted ducked as Bellatrix flung a cauldron cake at his head. He didn't duck fast enough and found himself covered in icing and cake. His smile vanished. Bellatrix's smile reappeared. _Nice shot… if I say so myself._

"Feeling better now?" asked Ted scathingly, his good mood evaporating the moment Bellatrix's had returned.

"You know what?" said Bellatrix brightly. "Yes… I actually do feel better."

Frank tried not to laugh as Ted grimaced and pulled bits of cake out of his hair with his fingers and gave Bellatrix a mildly disapproving look. She only smirked.

Andromeda may have smiled but it vanished before anyone could be sure of what they were seeing. She quickly returned to the book in her hand. She began muttering under her breath, as though she was trying to memorize it. Ted titled his head so that he could read the cover. She responded by slamming it shut and glaring at him.

"What?" she snarled.

Ted ignored Andromeda's hostility. He had been on the receiving end of it too many times to be really bothered.

"You learning French?" he asked.

"As you can see," said Andromeda stiffly.

"Why?" scoffed Ted. "Seems a bloody waste of time to me."

A sneer played on Andromeda's lips.

"You would say that, wouldn't you mudblood?" she said. "If you must know an acquaintance of mine is French."

From the way Andromeda said acquaintance and the way Bellatrix's mouth twitched into a snarl, Ted was relatively certain that this 'acquaintance' was a bloke.

"Can he speak English?" asked Ted.

"Yes," said Andromeda sharply. "Better than you can."

Ted smirked and Andromeda scowled. iShe hated the way he smirked.../i

"So Andromeda," said Ted with his infuriating smirk. "_Si ton amine déjà parle Anglais, pourquoi veux-tu apprendre le Francias?_"

For a moment, no one said anything. Bellatrix and Frank took one look at each other and burst out laughing. Andromeda turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Well?" asked Ted, still smirking. "Why are you bothering to speak French if this bloke speaks English?"

"Your accent is atrocious," snarled Andromeda, trying to salvage her pride.

Ted was undaunted.

"Sure Princess," he chuckled. "You're just sore because a mudblood can speak better French than you can."

"_Boue-de-sang_…" muttered Andromeda with a scowl. "And you still have cake on your face."

"When did you learn French, mudboy?" asked Bellatrix, mildly impressed.

"Well... I was _really_ bored one summer," said Ted, rubbing a bit of cake off his nose. "You can't exactly play Quidditch in muggle London without freaking out your neighbours. Mum was tired of me mopping around so she gave me something to do."

"What exactly are you going to do now?" asked Bellatrix. "No offence Ted… but I don't think you'll make any of the English Quidditch teams."

Ted suddenly seemed uncharacteristically embarrassed.

"Well," he said slowly. "I thought I'd work in muggle relations."

Andromeda managed to turn her gag into a cough. Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.

"We can't all get jobs that involve cursing Death Eaters," said Ted with a shrug. "I'm a muggleborn so...why not? Everyone's pretty tense nowadays with You-Know-Who about."

"The Dark Lord has that affect sometimes," agreed Bellatrix.

"With You-Know-Who giving them grief...the muggles need someone to explain things to them...excluding a few minor details."

Ted looked at Bellatrix.

"What about you?" he asked.

Bellatrix grimaced.

"Pureblood girls aren't supposed to work," she said darkly.

For reasons unfathomable to Bellatrix, Frank smirked and touched her arm lightly.

"Since when did you do what you were supposed to?" he asked.

A smirk formed on Bellatrix's face to match Frank's. Well..._never_.

The first thing that came to mind was training as an Auror... just like Frank. However, it was highly unlikely that she would get a job within the ministry. Her family would never allow it and the Ministry generally went out of its way to appease families like hers.

Then she remembered the one place that felt like home. _Hogwarts_.

Dumbledore didn't care what her family thought. She knew he would hire her. She knew she was good enough. She wasn't exactly a motherly figure… but then again, neither was McGonagall.

"I thought I could...teach," she said hesitantly.

Frank and Andromeda looked up at her in surprise.

"Teach?" repeated Ted, forgetting to feign enthusiasm.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Bellatrix more confidently, her eyes lighting up at the thought.

Ted chuckled. Bellatrix gave him one of her looks... the one that scared people.

"Something funny, Ted?" she asked with deceptive calmness.

"No one has lasted a year since we started at Hogwarts...and neither will you," insisted Ted.

"I'm hurt, mud boy," pouted Bellatrix. "Have you no faith in me?"

"No," snorted Ted. "Dumbledore will sack you in a month for teaching the first years curses."

Frank laughed. Bellatrix hit him playfully on the arm with a cry of mock indignation. Their moment of joy was cut short by the sound of the train slowing and eventually stopping.

"We're…here," muttered Frank.

The colour completely drained from Bellatrix's face. She was trying very hard to keep her feature impassive but she suddenly looked ill. Frank slowly got to his feet and retrieved Bellatrix's and Andromeda's trunks. Bellatrix mumbled her thanks. After struggling with his own trunk for a few moments, Ted finally got it down. He smiled at his two friends.

"Well... See you later then," he said.

Bellatrix and Frank ignored him. The gazed at each other for the longest moment until Frank forced himself to speak.

"I'll see you around," he mumbled.

Bellatrix nodded.

"Keep in touch," she whispered.

She looked away from Frank pointed and turned to Ted.

"You too, mudboy," she said with a forced smirk.

"Blokes aren't really that great at letter writing, Bella," said Ted.

"It doesn't have to be an entire roll of parchment," said Bellatrix. "A short note saying you're still alive and still incredibly irritating will suffice."

Ted smiled sadly. He would miss Bellatrix. She was like the annoying sister he had never had.

"You girls and your letters..." he said quietly.

Bellatrix punched lightly Ted in the shoulder.

"I'll resist the urge to dot my i's with little, pink hearts," she said dryly

Bellatrix cast one glance at Frank over her shoulder before leaving. Andromeda gave Frank a curt nod before following her.

"_Au revoir_, Andromeda!" called Ted.

Ted may have been imagining things but he could have sworn that Andromeda actually smiled and rolled her eyes as she left.

* * *

A/N: Boue-de-sang is mudblood. I happen to have a copy of Chamber of Secrets in French.


	7. Letters

Letters

As the eldest, male heir, Cygnus Black had inherited Black Manor from his father, Pollux Black. His younger sister, Walburga Black, was most displeased with this arrangement but there was nothing she could really do about it. She had the last laugh however, when Druella only gave Cygnus daughters. When Cygnus died, Black Manor would go to Sirius (if he was not disowned) and Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa would get nothing.

Bellatrix grimaced as she crept silently from her room into the hallway, the crimson carpet smothering the sound of her footsteps. The gothic statues cast eerie shadows in the moonlight. Portraits of her dead relatives snored in their frames. Even as they slept, they looked highly unpleasant.

Sirius could have Black Manor. She didn't want it. Black Manor may be large and impressive but when Bellatrix had a house of her own it wasn't going to look like something out of one of Ted's horror movies.

Bellatrix pushed open the door to library and winced as the door creaked loudly. She wasn't allowed in the library and if she was caught trying to enter in the middle of the night it was unlikely that she would wake up the next morning.

There was a familiar, gentle tap at one of the windows. Outside was a snowy owl with a letter in its beak. Bellatrix opened the window with a tap of her wand and the owl soared gracefully onto one of the bookshelves, dropping the letter on a large mahogany desk.

Bellatrix had been very disappointed with Frank's last letter. It was rather short and said nothing about his training except for how boring it was. Her reply had been rather sharp.

_Frank,_

_Please stop patronising me._

_I know you're having a brilliant time and I want to here about it. There's no way you fell asleep when Alastor Moody talked to you. You've wanted to meet Moody since you were thirteen._

_I know you'll think I'll feel terrible when I read about all the wonderful things you're doing while I'm stuck here but I want to read about them. There is literally nothing else to do except sit about and look pretty and that really doesn't work for me._

_Bella._

_PS. If you're going to lie at least attempt to make it convincing._

Bellatrix slipped Frank's reply into the pocket of her black nightgown. Frank's snowy owl, satisfied that his letter had been delivered, flew out of the open window. Bellatrix shut the window and hurried to her room. She carefully closed the door behind her, lit a candle with a flick of her wand and tore open Frank's reply.

_Okay, I lied. Sorry Bella,_ it said in Frank's messy scrawl.

_Moody is a genius. That man does things with his wand that I have never seen before. He disarmed me in about three moves. There's no way I could have fallen asleep because he'd hex me and then tell me off for not be vigilant._

_Being vigilant is kind of his thing. He seems convinced that someone within the Ministry is trying to kill him. I guess Moody has good reason for being paranoid. He's been at this for years now._

_You won't believe what Ted's doing. When he said he wanted to work in muggle relations I didn't think he'd become a muggle weather man (someone who tells muggles if it's going to rain or not). If the muggles are about to report magic on their news, Ted has to confound the reporters._

_I wish you were here. I recon you'd give Moody a run for his money at duelling. Merlin, I have bruises on my bruises and I've strained muscles I didn't even know I had._

_Frank._

_PS. As brilliant as I think you are at looking pretty, you won't be sitting around for long. Keep your head up. You'll be out of that house in no time._

Bellatrix smiled slightly as she read his reply. That was more like it. She knew Frank well enough to know when he was being honest. Her smile faltered as she read the postscript. That wasn't quite so honest.

She liked letters from Frank. They were a lot more informative than Ted's messages. Bellatrix glanced at the large roll of parchment on her desk. She had received it from the muggleborn about a month after she had said goodbye to him on the train. When she opened it, she only found five words in the corner.

_Still alive, still annoying.  
Ted_

She had replied in a similar fashion on the same roll of parchment.

_Pity. I thought that the Death Eaters would have got you by now.  
Bella_

_That's horrible!  
Ted_

_I know.  
Bella_

_You're cruel.  
Ted._

_I know.  
Bella._

They continued conversing in this manner for months, only ever writing a few words. There last 'conversation' been about sport.

_YES! ENGLAND BEAT THE WEST INDIES IN CRICKET!  
Ted_

_I'll presume you're talking about a muggle game involving noisy insects.  
Bella_

_Blasphemy! Where is your English pride?  
Ted_

_Looking for your brain.  
Bella_

_You wait. Cricket will be bigger than Quidditch one day.  
Ted_

_The day they introduce bludgers perhaps.  
Bella_

_It's a gentlemen's sport!  
Ted_

_In other words, it's boring.  
Bella_

_You're just saying that because girls can't play cricket.  
Ted_

_Say that to my face mudblood. I dare you.  
Your worst nightmare._

Bellatrix smirked. She wondered how Ted would reply to that once she sent it. It would be better if she had a chance to speak to both Frank and Ted face to face but that wasn't about to happen anytime soon. She could only see Frank at formal occasions to which Ted definitely would not be invited.

Bellatrix tried to imagine Ted at one of the parties purebloods were infamous for throwing. She couldn't do it.

She pulled out a quill and began to write a reply to Frank's letter. She wrote steadily about how much she missed Andromeda now that she had gone back to school, about how annoying Narcissa could be and about how happy she was that Frank was enjoying himself.

Her cat, Shadow, leapt up on the desk and started pawing at Bellatrix's quill.

"I'm almost done," muttered Bellatrix a little sleepily.

She quickly finished the letter and hid it in her drawer, away from prying eyes. Bellatrix chose not to add how much she missed Frank. Not only did she think it was it a little pathetic to mope over someone, he could probably figure it out for himself. He was going to be an Auror after all.

_

* * *

_

_Author's Note: I'm presuming that Ted is the same weather man from the Philosopher's Stone who smiled and said "Bonfire night's not until next week folks!" He was so a wizard..._

_Love you Mum. I know this story is already dedicated to you but since it was your anniversary you can have this chapter especially_


	8. Christmas

Christmas

Bellatrix scowled distastefully at herself in the mirror. Her long dark hair was twisted into an elegant knot at nape of her neck and she was dressed in robes of dark green silk and black lace.

She was beautiful... and that was the problem.

Ted had once told her that, for muggles, Christmas was a religious feast; the birthday of a dead pacifist or something to that effect. It was a time of giving and family. Bellatrix suppressed a gag at the thought. Pureblood families had embraced the tradition of Christmas…except it was merely an excuse for parents to dress up their daughters like a Christmas ham and sell them off to the highest bidder.

Usually a glare from Bellatrix was enough to scare off an eager suitor but that was before her mother forced her into this dress. She predicted that a few curses would be necessary this year.

"I hate Christmas..." muttered Bellatrix.

She fidgeted with her dress for another five minutes and touched the locket at her neck briefly. It was the only piece of jewellery she was wearing. Inside was a miniature portrait of Andromeda, Narcissa and herself. The locket had also contained a miniature portrait of her parents but she had removed it years ago.

And then thrown it in the fireplace.

Bellatrix's relationship with her father had not improved. She had gone from being frightened of him to hating him. Living in the same house as him made her feel nauseated. Acknowledging the fact that she was related to the man…even more so.

She was tired of this. Three years had passed since she left Hogwarts for the first time. Three years of prolonged torture. To put it mildly, she was bored out of her skull.

And furious. Furious with Frank. She knew he was busy saving the wizarding world from silly pureblood boys who couldn't cast a curse to save their lives but she hadn't seen him in a whole _month_. She glowered at her reflection. _She wanted to curse silly pureblood boys too…_

Without warning, Bellatrix's door burst open. Standing in the door was sixteen year old Narcissa, holding up two sets of dress robes.

"Bella, what do you think? I like the crimson one but mother thinks the embroidery on the  
turquoise-"

Bellatrix gave her sister a look bordering on disgust. Sometimes Bellatrix seriously doubted that she and Narcissa shared the same father. Narcissa could have all the warmth of an iceberg at times but her ability to conform to society was certainly not a trait Cygnus nor Bellatrix possessed.

"Don't you know how to knock?" snapped Bellatrix.

Narcissa ignored Bellatrix's outburst. It was something she was very good at.

"Oh never mind that now, the guests will be arriving soon," said Narcissa impatiently. "Which one?"

Bellatrix gave the outfits a fleeting glance and pretended to care.

"Well, Dromeda is wearing red," she said, with her half-mock smile. "You can both be twins."

Narcissa tried not to scowl. Bellatrix had being condescending down to a fine art.

"Turquoise it is..." she muttered.

Narcissa turned to leave but stopped halfway.

"Oh Bella…" she said with exasperation.

Bellatrix groaned.

"_What now?_"

Narcissa looked at Bellatrix as though she had done something absolutely unforgivable. Her nose wrinkled in distaste.

"That locket doesn't go with your dress, Bella," she said stiffly. "Take it off."

Bellatrix grimaced.

"Do you hear that, Cissy?" she asked through clenched teeth.

Narcissa frowned.

"Hear what?" she asked.

"That is the sound… of no one caring," she snarled. "_Go away._"

The faintest blush appeared on Narcissa's cheeks. Her nose wrinkled further and without another word she stormed out of Bellatrix's room. As she left, Andromeda knocked at the open door. Bellatrix muttered darkly under her breath. Andromeda took this as an invitation to enter.

"Can you try and be nice?" she asked quietly, giving Bellatrix a mildly disapproving look.

"No…I'm not _nice._"

Andromeda bit her lip.

"You know Frank will be here tonight," she said tentatively.

Bellatrix slammed a hairbrush onto the dresser with unnecessary force. Andromeda winced.

"He'd better be here," growled Bellatrix. "Or the Dark Lord will be the least of his worries."

Bellatrix left out a deep breath and turned to face Andromeda. Her younger sister was dressed in a stunning set of robes of dark red satin. Her mousy brown hair hung in glossy curls around her neck and she wore a rather large ruby on a gold chain.

"You look pretty," said Bellatrix with a frown, her words more an accusation than compliment.

Andromeda avoided Bellatrix's eyes and chose not to speak. Bellatrix guessed the truth from her sister's silence.

"The Lestranges have returned from France, I take it?" said Bellatrix, trying to keep the disapproval from her voice.

Andromeda twitched.

"Yes… he's coming tonight," she said quietly.

Bellatrix couldn't contain herself any longer.

"Dromeda, are you sure about this?" she asked bluntly. "Rodolphus is so…"

Bellatrix didn't think there was a word that could describe Rodolphus Lestrange although _creepy_ came to mind. Andromeda sat on her sister's bed.

"Rodolphus comes from a good family," she said softly. "Yes… I'm sure."

"You'll tell me if something is wrong, won't you?" asked Bellatrix, unable to keep the worry from her voice. "You won't do the pureblood thing and pretend that everything is alright?"

"Bella, there's no need-"

Andromeda stopped abruptly when she noticed the furious look on Bellatrix's face. She nodded slightly.

"I'll tell you if anything is wrong," whispered Andromeda. "I promise."

Before Bellatrix could say anything further, the sound of thudding footsteps rang through the corridor towards her room. Bellatrix's mouth curled into a snarl as her father shouted her name.

"Wait here, Andromeda," ordered Bellatrix.

Ignoring Andromeda's whispered protests, Bellatrix got rigidly to her feet and headed downstairs to her father's study. There was no fear visible in her features, just pure defiance.

Andromeda waited on her sister's bed for a few minutes but soon her anxiousness was too much for her to handle. She hurried towards her father's study and waited outside. At first she still could not hear anything but the voices inside the study gradually became louder and louder. Soon she could hear her father shouting, his words muffled by the heavy wooden doors that separated them.

The sound of a sharp slap made Andromeda jump. Soon afterwards, Bellatrix staggered from the study and the door slammed behind her.

Bellatrix slumped against the wall for support, her world spinning. There was already a dark bruise forming under her eye and her faced was flushed with mingled humiliation and anger. Andromeda ran forward and when to help Bellatrix to her feet but she wrenched her arm out of her grasp.

"I'm fine!" snapped Bellatrix.

Bellatrix marched, a little unsteadily, back towards the stairs. Andromeda kept close behind her incase Bellatrix lost her balance again.

"What happened?" demanded Andromeda when they had entered Bellatrix's room again.

At first Bellatrix did not answer. She looked at herself in the mirror, inspected her bruise and began fixing her hair again so that it didn't look like she had just been forcibly thrown out of her father's study.

"The usual," she snarled after a few minutes. "I'm a disappointment, if I don't get married by the time I'm twenty he's throwing me out of the house and I am personally responsible for the Black Plague, World War Two and any other calamity you can think of."

She pointed her wand at the bruise and tried to heal it. Bellatrix had never been very good at healing magic and only managed to make it slightly less visible. She swore loudly and slammed her fist on her dressing table.

"Here," said Andromeda.

She pulled out her wand from the folds of her robes, pointed it at Bellatrix's eye and muttered a quick healing spell. The dark bruise vanished instantly. Bellatrix muttered her thanks.

"You never tried to heal it before," said Andromeda quietly.

Bellatrix avoided her sister's eyes.

"I don't want Frank to worry," she whispered.

Andromeda pursed her lips. Maybe Frank _should_ be worried. Bellatrix fixed her dress and, for a moment, Andromeda would have sworn that nothing had just happened. Bellatrix was her usual, detached self.

"We should be heading down," said Bellatrix stiffly. "The guests will be arriving soon."


	9. The Other Longbottom

The Other Longbottom

Bellatrix, Narcissa and Andromeda stood side by side in the entrance hall, awaiting the guests. Though her face was impassive, Andromeda was fiddling with her dress robes, a sure sign that she was nervous. Bellatrix sighed and whispered something in her ear. Andromeda nodded and stood still. Narcissa gave her sister a fleeting glare before returning her gaze to the unopened door.

"They're late," she said crossly.

Bellatrix grimaced.

"Of course they're late, Cissy," she said dryly. "In typical pureblood fashion, they're trying to make an entrance. Since they're _all_ coming late it's not going to make much of a difference but these people rarely think these things through."

"I hardly think your Frank is trying to make an entrance," sneered Narcissa. "Maybe he's not showing up."

Andromeda shot Narcissa a warning glare. The blonde only smiled and tossed her hair back as a vicious snarl formed on Bellatrix's face. Before Bellatrix could say something exceedingly nasty, she noticed someone outside.

"Slytherin forbid," muttered Bellatrix. "_They_ have arrived."

The prospect of spending the evening with these people was enough to make Bellatrix temporarily forget her anger. From the way Bellatrix said 'they', it was easy for her sisters to deduce who she meant. Judging from the loathing and disdain in her voice, their cousins were here. Sure enough, the other Black family were led into the entrance hall by Tolly the house elf.

Orion Black would be a handsome man if he didn't shrink back in horror everytime his wife came up to him. He seemed rather weedy and underfed next to his tall and imposing wife. Walburga would have been a very beautiful woman if it were not for the perpetual snarl on her face. Judging from the look on Sirius' face and the way his shoulders slouched forward, he took no more pleasure in being here than Bellatrix did.

"Stand up straight!" snapped Walburga at her eldest.

"Yes mother," said Sirius dully, making no attempt to comply with her demands.

Regulus, who had been hiding behind his father, sulked up to Bellatrix and mumbled a greeting under his breath. He was a lot smaller than Sirius. Apparently Walburga knocked out anything remotely resembling life and defiance in her youngest son. It was something she had tried and failed to do with Sirius.

Sirius made to walk past Bellatrix. Judging from the look on his face he wasn't going to wish her 'Merry Christmas'. Before he could reach Andromeda, Bellatrix stuck out her leg for him to trip over and he stumbled. Walburga did not miss this action but, since Sirius had been permanently removed from her good books, she did nothing.

Andromeda sighed. It was going to be a long night.

Walburga and Bellatrix weren't exactly close. When they were in the same room, it was hard to tell who hated the other more. Walburga made no attempt to approach her niece. Bellatrix walked up to her aunt, her mouth a firm line. Walburga gave her a contemptuous glare. Bellatrix made her dislike no secret and Walburga never liked anyone she couldn't dominate.

"Merry Christmas, Aunt Walburga," said Bellatrix stiffly.

Sirius' mother jerked her head in acknowledgement and turned away to face Narcissa. Narcissa had a ridiculously fake smile on her face but Walburga was just lapping it up like a kneazle lapping up milk.

"Merry Christmas, Aunt Walburga," she said sweetly.

"Cissy dear," said Walburga fondly.

Bellatrix made a retching noise from behind Walburga's back. Walburga pretended not to hear. Sirius tried not smirk and failed dismally. Bellatrix caught his eye and he shrugged. The cousins made a silent agreement to unite against a common enemy… just this once.

After the arrival of their cousins, the guests seemed to pour into the Manor. The next to arrive were the Prewetts. There were five of them tonight. Gideon and Fabian had refused to accompany their parents to another party and were no where to be seen. Between Mr. and Mrs. Prewett was their daughter Molly and their cousin, Alice. Though she was a rather pretty girl, Molly looked like she wanted nothing more than to disappear. When Molly's incredibly irritating, presumptuous Aunt Muriel came into Bellatrix's sight, she understood why.

After the Prewetts came the Couches, various ministry officials, the Nott family, Abraxas Malfoy and his son, the Bulstrodes and the Macnairs. At this point, Bellatrix was torn between being bored and anxious. The enchanted instruments in the ballroom were playing the most irritating, jumpy waltz and her mouth hurt from smiling. Occasionally Narcissa had to discretely elbow her in the ribs to make her pay attention to who they should be sucking up to next.

Suddenly the guests fell silent. Bellatrix turned to where they were all looking and found two people at the door.

Never were two brothers more different than the Lestranges. Rabastan was a weedy and rather pathetic looking next to his brother. He was a little shorter than Bellatrix and forcibly reminded her of Peter Pettigrew. Rodolphus was the exact opposite. He was tall, muscular and darkly handsome. His eyes were black, emotionless and could make the hairs on the back of anyone's neck stand on edge. Unlike the other purebloods, he had a commanding presence that made Bellatrix feel slightly nervous.

Still not betraying a hint of emotion, he gave a polite nod to Bellatrix and Narcissa and extended his arm to Andromeda. She smiled softly, said something in French and accepted it. As they headed to the dance floor, Bellatrix's expression turned sour.

"Don't be like that, Bella," said Narcissa quietly. "It's a good match."

"For Mr. Personality-Of-A-Boulder Lestrange perhaps," glowered Bellatrix.

Narcissa did not have an answer for that. She took a deep breath and looked towards the door. Whatever she saw there made her smirk.

"Look who it is," sneered Narcissa.

Bellatrix's heart leapt in her chest when her eyes found the one who Narcissa was talking about. Frank, his features a curious mixture of dread and excitement, had arrived with his parents and another man Bellatrix couldn't recognise.

"I'm going to speak to mother for a moment," said Narcissa airily.

Narcissa vanished into the ballroom. Frank's eyes lit up as he caught sight of Bellatrix.

Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom reached Bellatrix first. Edmund Longbottom gave Bellatrix a wink as he wished her for Christmas. Augusta gave her a dangerous smile, not unlike the one Bellatrix frequently used. Bellatrix understood this to mean _hurt my son and I will hurt you._ Frank gave his mother a disapproving look as she left with Edmund and then turned to face Bellatrix.

"Sorry about that," muttered Frank. "She's just being a mum."

Bellatrix said nothing. She simply looked at Frank, her face expressionless. Frank smiled.

"You look beautiful," he said quietly.

For reasons unfathomable to him, Bellatrix's face was no longer impassive. She had suddenly surpassed angry and was now bordering on furious.

"I don't want to wait another month to see you again," growled Bellatrix, her eyes glinting dangerously.

Frank touched her arm lightly and her expression softened.

"It won't happen again," whispered Frank. "Promise."

Bellatrix's smiled slightly._She really couldn't stay mad at him..._

"It better not," she said softly.

Frank laughed quietly. For one moment, Bellatrix desperately wished that someone would vanish the guests so she could kiss him. The man Frank had come with interrupted them before they could say anything further.

"Have I been introduced?" he asked.

Bellatrix scrutinising the newcomer from head to toe. He wore a well tailored set of robes though the material wasn't as ridiculously expensive as some of the other purebloods. His fair hair was slicked back. Frank seemed to be finding something very amusing.

"Sorry Bella," grinned Frank. "This is my cousin."

Frank's cousin took Bellatrix's hand. She resisted the urge to hit him. _For Slytherin's bloody sake, why was someone always interrupting them?_

"Theodore Longbottom," said the mysterious man with a strangely infuriating smirk.

Bellatrix looked at Frank in surprise and back to the man.

"Theodore Longbottom?" repeated Bellatrix with a frown. "But..."

Suddenly something about this mysterious pureblood seemed remarkably familiar. Bellatrix stared him in the face for about thirty seconds before it clicked. This wasn't Frank's cousin at all… and he certainly wasn't a pureblood. Bellatrix's jaw dropped.

"_Ted_?" choked Bellatrix. "Is _that_ you?"

Ted Tonks, for of course it was him, chuckled at his friend.

"You've known me for years and you didn't even recognise me," he smirked.

Bellatrix resisted the almost overwhelming urge to burst out laughing. The idea of Ted Tonks with a hundred miles of Black Manor was just plain ludicrous.

"That's because you look…" Bellatrix struggled to find the right words.

"Half decent?" supplied Frank with a grin.

"_Pureblood!_" blurted Bellatrix, hastily looking around in case anyone overheard.

Ted seemed relatively unconcerned that he was in a Manor full of people who regularly discussed reinstating old muggle hunting laws.

"You don't scrub up too badly yourself," said Ted lightly. "Merlin, you actually look like a girl for a change."

If there wasn't a room full of guest next to them, Bellatrix would have punched him.

"What in Slytherin's name possessed you to spend your Christmas _here_?" she asked. "It's not that I'm not happy to see you but…_here_?"

"Thought I'd see what all the fuss is all about," grinned Ted. "You purebloods do make a big deal of these little parties."

"If you're caught, they'll skin you alive and hang your carcass on the wall...you do know that?" said Bellatrix, dropping her voice. "These people can _smell_ mudblood."

Ted was still smirking.

_Now I know why Andromeda hates it when he does that,_ thought Bellatrix.

Ted jerked his head at Macnair, who was trying and failing to chat up a mildly disgusted Alice Prewett. He looked rather pathetic.

"I can fool them," said Ted confidently. "I can even fool Andromeda."

The instruments had started to play another waltz and Rodolphus was speaking with Lucius Malfoy. Andromeda stood by herself. Bellatrix guessed what Ted was thinking. Her glaze slowly switched from Andromeda to Ted.

"You… wouldn't… _dare,_" snarled Bellatrix.

Ted winced and took a step back.

"You're not going to have a go at me for asking your sister to dance, are you?" he asked with an air of awkward bravado.

Bellatrix smiled. Ted took another step back.

"What makes you think I won't, _Theodore_?" asked Bellatrix ever so sweetly.

"It's only a bloody waltz, Bella," said Ted exasperatedly.

"It's only your bloody face but if you don't mind me rearranging it…"

Frank raised his eyebrows at Bellatrix. She shot him a withering glare before looking at Ted again.

"Relax Bella," said Ted with a little more confidence now that he had Frank's backing. "It's just a little experiment… to see if she recognises me."

Bellatrix shot Frank another glare. He grimaced at her and she sighed. _Over reacting just little…_

"You'd better ask her to dance then, _Theodore_," she said darkly, "before I change my mind."

Restraining herself from delivering a blow (perhaps several blows) to Ted's head, Bellatrix watched as he approached her little sister. Andromeda gazed at him without a trace of emotion. Ted took her hand and kissed it. She didn't recoil in pure horror which was a good sigh.

"Theodore Longbottom," said Ted, with a perfect impersonation of pureblood arrogance. "You must be Andromeda Black."

"Correct, Mr. Longbottom," said Andromeda quietly. "You are a relative of Edmund Longbottom, I presume?"

"His nephew," said Ted with a nod. "Forgive me Miss Black… I'm quite the stranger in these parts. Would you be so kind?"

Andromeda hesitated, casting a glance in Rodolphus' direction. Bellatrix may have been imagining things but she could have sworn that he nodded his consent before Andromeda answered.

"Certainly, Mr. Longbottom," said Andromeda impassively.

She accepted Ted's arms and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. For one wild moment, Bellatrix was convinced that Ted would trip over himself and give himself away but to her immense surprise, the muggleborn actually knew how to dance.

Being brought up by a single mother clearly had its advantages.

Narcissa, who was also watching Andromeda and Ted, hurried up to Bellatrix, completely ignoring Frank.

"Who is that dancing with Dromeda, Bella?" she asked curiously.

Bellatrix frowned at her sister before answering.

"Theodore Longbottom," she said slowly. "Frank's cousin."

Narcissa's shoulders sagged with disappointment.

"Another blood traitor, I suspect," she muttered.

Bellatrix frowned. There was something about Narcissa's tone that she did not like.

"No," said Bellatrix. "He's not a blood traitor at all actually."

Narcissa's blue eyes lit up.

"_Oh_…" she said with a smile.

Bellatrix's heart nearly stopped then and there. _Dear Merlin…no._ She slowly turned to give her sister the most disapproving look she could muster.

"Don't even _think_ about it," said Bellatrix forcefully.

Narcissa gave Bellatrix an icy glare before stalking off. Bellatrix twitched. _Eww…_

Frank was trying very hard not to laugh. He cleared his throat when Bellatrix gave him another glare.

The waltz ended. The couples bowed and curtsied to each other. Andromeda left Ted without another word and headed towards Bellatrix.

"I'd bet Andromeda doesn't have a clue it's him," said Frank, as she approached.

Andromeda gave Frank a quick glance before turning to face Bellatrix. Now that she was close, Bellatrix could see the veiled hostility in her eyes.

"Tell the scruffy mudblood to fix his collar," said Andromeda quietly.

With that, Andromeda walked off. Bellatrix looked at Ted, smirking triumphantly and blissfully ignorant of his failure. She smirked back.

"You were saying, Frank?" said Bellatrix, giving Ted a small wave.


	10. Plans

Plans

Dinner was served at about nine. Large silver platters were laden with delicious food worthy of a Hogwarts feast.

"I knew I came for a good reason," said Ted to Frank, helping himself to another thick slice of Christmas ham.

"Yeah," said Frank absently.

Frank was starring off into space and not really paying attention. Ted followed his friend's line of sight and found Bellatrix. She was sitting at her father's left, looking almost as pleased to be there as Cygnus was. It was difficult to tell which face showed more loathing.

"He's a grumpy looking bugger, isn't he?" muttered Ted. "I thought my old man was a charmer but Cygnus Black really does take the cake."

Frank mumbled something incomprehensible and returned to his food. Ted sighed.

"Bella can handle herself, mate," said Ted quietly. "She's not going to let her grouch of a father get to her… and soon she'll be out of here anyway."

"That's what I said to her three years ago," said Frank darkly, stabbing at his meal with unnecessary force.

Ted winced. As amusing as it was to pretend to be a pureblood and secretly laugh behind all their backs whilst enjoying a delicious dinner, Ted didn't think he could handle this for three years. Someone was bound to notice his unmistakable 'mudblood-ness' and there was only so long he could go with watching a game of cricket.

Suddenly the guests got to their feet and headed out of the room. Bellatrix, Frank and Ted lagged behind. Ted didn't look too happy.

"No dessert?" he asked Bellatrix. "What the hell kind of people are these purebloods?"

Bellatrix looked dead ahead and avoided her friend's gaze.

"Drinking first," said Bellatrix quietly.

Ted shook his head in disapproval.

"What's the point of having dessert when you're too pissed to taste it? Unless you're planning on a food fight but in my opinion that's just a bloody waste of chocolate."

"Don't mudbloods drink?" asked Bellatrix a little roughly.

Ted knew Bellatrix well enough to know when he had reached a sore subject. He took a step to distance himself before answering.

"Not me personally," he said. "A bit with friends I guess but after one firewhiskey I start giggling like a first year girl."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes almost smiled. It was an absolute wonder that one of the stuff shirt purebloods did not realised that Ted had 'mudblood' written on his forehead.

Abraxas Malfoy headed straight for the drinks and began pouring them out. Bellatrix noted that he did not skimp on the drinks for his friends but drank very little himself. He was a remarkably clever man. He knew exactly how to riddle out the weaknesses in his acquaintances without tarnishing his own reputation. Seventeen year old Lucius followed his example but before Bellatrix could admire their shrewdness she notice that Lucius was staring at Narcissa.

Narcissa was pretending not to notice this but her very faint smile gave her away. Lucius' smile however was wiped clean off his face when he met Bellatrix's glare. He looked away abruptly. Narcissa smiled and nodded her way through the guests before reaching Bellatrix's side. She was livid.

"Bella, I'm sixteen," she hissed. "I can look after myself."

Bellatrix mouth twitched, like it did when she was trying to hide a smirk. Frank tried not to roll his eyes.

"I know you can look after yourself, Cissy," said Bellatrix. "It was Lucius I was worried about."

Narcissa's jaw actually dropped. Bellatrix patted her shoulder sympathetically.

"I don't think the poor boy can handle you just yet," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Narcissa's mother became a thin, angry line.

"You'll _never_ get married," she snapped.

"I know," said Bellatrix with her half-mock smile. "Off you go, Cissy."

Narcissa stormed off, muttering darkly under her breath. Ted caught the words 'condescending' and 'impossible'. Frank chuckled lightly.

"Maybe these parties aren't so bad after all," he whispered to her.

Bellatrix began to smirk but it faltered. She was suddenly conscious of Rodolphus frowning in her direction. He was standing with Andromeda and talking to Abraxas Malfoy. Rodolphus' gaze shifted from her to Frank and his frown deepened. Before she had time to say something to Frank about it, Rodolphus came striding across the room towards them. Andromeda, who was probably slightly alarmed at the idea of Ted and Rodolphus in the same country, let alone in a conversation, followed Rodolphus as quickly as she could.

Frank subconsciously edged in front of Bellatrix as Rodolphus approached. Frank was taller but Rodolphus was heavily built and imposing. Bellatrix grimaced slightly. She didn't see the point of Frank's actions. Rodolphus seemed to be of the opinion that a woman could not contribute meaningfully to a conversation and did nothing but ignore her.

"Frank Longbottom," said Rodolphus with the faintest hint of a French accent. "I have not seen you since our time at Hogwarts."

Rodolphus' voice was usually soft for a man of his size but somehow it added to his presence. Some of the guests were pretending to be engrossed in their separate conversations but were casting covert glances at the two of them.

"Rodolphus," said Frank, with a polite nod. "Enjoyed your trip back home?"

When conversing with Rodolphus Lestrange most of the purebloods in the room tended to lose their nerve and let him do all the talking. Frank seemed to be defying tradition by calming talking back. The other voices in the room became quieter as the guests tried to listen in on their conversation.

"Quite," said Rodolphus with a slight sneer. "Business calls me back to London however. What is it that _you_ do, Mr. Longbottom?"

There was a something about his tone that issued a challenge. Frank stood up a little straighter.

"I'm an Auror," he said a little loudly.

"_Really?_" said Rodolphus with mock surprise. "You must be uncommonly skilled to enter into such a... _prestigious_ profession."

Frank did not miss the hint of contempt in Rodolphus' voice. Bellatrix felt him stiffen beside her.

"We'll see, I guess," replied Frank coldly.

Still sneering softly, Rodolphus turned to Ted.

"Ah...and this is your cousin," he said.

Unlike everyone else, Rodolphus was apparently not convinced by Ted's false charm. Ted was unfazed by this.

"Theodore Longbottom," said Ted, with all the false charm he could muster.

"I confess Theodore… I was unaware that there was another Longbottom," said Rodolphus. "Where have you been hiding all these years?"

Ted didn't miss a beat.

"I live abroad," he lied smoothly. "British air gets a bit smoggy for me."

Ted paused and almost pulled off a perfect impersonation of Narcissa's face when she spoke to anyone 'below her social standing'.

"Especially with all the muggles and mudbloods besmirching it," he added.

Some of the eavesdropping guests let out a laugh. Andromeda coughed.

"Where _do_ you live then?" asked Rodolphus.

Ted obviously hadn't rehearsed that part of the lie.

"Umm ..." mumbled Ted. "Bit down south…err…New Zealand."

He swallowed and managed to recover from his blunder.

"It's disappointing really… society is somewhat less varied," he said airily. "I was actually planning to come back to England for a while."

"So you've heard then?" said Rodolphus.

Ted frowned. Rodolphus took his confusion as a sign to continue.

"Of the future...ah..._improvements_ to British society?"

Ted wasn't enjoying his little game anymore. He knew what Rodolphus was suggesting.

"Rumours..." muttered Ted. "Nothing important."

"Rumours?" said Rodolphus softly. "Oh no Mr. Longbottom... change is closer than you think."

Rodolphus turned to a man who stood by him. He had a brutal face and his mouth was curled into a sneer so nasty not even Bellatrix could have managed it.

"Yaxley, the Prophet if you will?" asked Rodolphus politely.

Still sneering, the man named Yaxley unrolled a copy of the prophet and handed it to Ted. The picture on the front page showed an image of a skull and a snake formed by bright points of light. The Dark Mark.

"Ten mudbloods and muggles dead in the past week," said Yaxley, as Ted read the front page. "The Dark Lord is moving in the open."

The guests began to murmur excitedly amongst themselves. Ted handed the prophet back to Yaxley, his face as white as a sheet.

"So you see Mr. Longbottom," said Rodolphus. "You may want to make your stay permanent."

Ted tried to smirk but only managed to twitch his mouth into a grimace. Bellatrix could almost imagine his fists clenching under his robes.

"Voldemort… is nothing but a murderer," shouted Frank suddenly.

There was dead silence after Frank's outburst. Bellatrix's mouth fell open. She had never heard Frank (or anyone else for that matter) use Voldemort's true name. She was torn between disapproval at his foolish, admiration at his daring and concern since half the guests looked like they wanted to curse Frank into oblivion then and there.

Rodolphus was a very frightening man when he was angry. His lips were white and breathing had become shallow and raspy, as if it was taking all his self-restraint to remain composed.

"_Do not speak his name!_" hissed Rodolphus dangerously.

Ted took a large step back as Frank stood forward. Frank was just as angry as Rodolphus was. Discrimination of any kind made Frank's blood boil.

"Why would you make up a fancy name if you didn't want anyone to use it?" snarled Frank.

Bellatrix made an odd sort of noise in her throat. Rodolphus closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"The Dark Lord is doing what the Ministry ought to have done a long time ago," said Rodolphus, his voice shaking slightly.

"I disagree," said Andromeda.

Ted and Rodolphus turned to look at Andromeda. Ted's jaw actually dropped. Of all the purebloods in this room, Andromeda was the last person he would have picked to start defending muggle rights. Bellatrix, Narcissa, Sirius and Regulus had identical expressions of horror.

Andromeda realised instantly that she had said the wrong thing. All the aggression that had been directed towards Frank was now directed towards her. She was incredibly grateful that her father seemed unaware of the scene unfolding in his drawing room. Bellatrix looked at her sister imploringly.

_Take it back, Dromeda,_ her eyes said. _Don't make it worse than it is... take it back._

"Just because we are their superiors does not mean we ought to exterminate them," said Andromeda quickly. "Would you torture and kill a dog merely because you the means to?"

Ted had to admire Andromeda's nerve. She was still a spoiled, bigoted Slytherin in his eyes but at least she didn't want him _dead_. Rodolphus let out the breath he had been holding.

"Dogs have their uses," he said frostily.

Andromeda almost kept silent but then she caught sight of Ted beaming at her. Somehow, it made her feel reckless.

"Mindless killing is something muggles do to each other… these Death Eaters are no better," she said loudly. "They're the dogs as far as I'm concerned."

Rodolphus' upper lip curled into a snarl. Andromeda edged away. She knew she had gone too far.

"Andromeda, this is hardly a topic you know anything about," said Rodolphus through clenched teeth. "What have you seen of the world other than Hogwarts and this house?"

Andromeda flushed with embarrassment and shrunk back. Bellatrix clenched her hands into fists and glared in Rodolphus' direction. Ted grimaced. He could suddenly see why Andromeda hated muggleborns so much. It was a maxim repeated to her every day. She could not speak out against it without looking like a silly little girl.

Rodolphus, apparently satisfied by Andromeda's embarrassment, turned to Lucius and began discussing ministry policy or something equally _fascinating_. It was engrossing enough to start an argument and draw the attention of the guests.

Bellatrix could not stand being in the same room as these people any longer. If she had to look at Rodolphus Lestrange's face for any longer she would have to curse him and it would be a rather difficult thing to explain to the guests. She caught Frank's eye as she left the room. The other guests still had their eyes fixed on either Rodolphus or Andromeda and did not notice Frank follow her out.

Frank followed Bellatrix down a long corridor and into a room that turned out to be the library.

It was dark in the library. Bellatrix was leaning against a bookshelf. The only part of her face that he could see was her half-mock smile. Frank smiled back. He looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching before pulling Bellatrix into a deep kiss. It wasn't like school; not a careful kiss in between classes or after a Quidditch match. She returned it hungrily, holding onto Frank as if she was afraid he'd vanish.

After what had seemed an age, Bellatrix pulled away with considerable effort and reluctance.

"You are _such_ a Gryffindor, you know that?" she said wryly. "I don't think the Dark Lord's name has even been uttered in this house."

Frank winced.

"I didn't piss them off too much, did I?" he muttered.

"I don't think you'll be invited next time," said Bellatrix flatly.

Frank bowed his head. Once again his need to be a hero had stuffed everything up for the both of them.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't think that bit through."

Bellatrix smiled and raised a hand to his face.

"Don't be sorry," she said softly. "You broke the monotony of the evening quite nicely."

Frank almost smiled.

"What are we going to do now?" he asked.

"I could… meet you in Diagon Alley," said Bellatrix carefully, "and pretend to be shopping or something equally ridiculous."

Frank raised his eyebrows.

"Sneak out?"

Bellatrix smiled slyly and wrapped her arms around Frank's neck.

"Your little stunt inspired my rebellious side," she whispered in his ear.

The sound of the floorboard creaking made them both jump. Frank decided to be quick.

"Tomorrow... at noon. There's a shop right next to the Leaky Cauldron," he said hurriedly. "It's kinda falling apart right now..."

"Sounds perfect," said Bellatrix hastily.

Bellatrix gave him a fleeting kiss on the cheek but before either of them could react, the library door was thrown open. Bellatrix let go of Frank very quickly and stared at horror at the figure in the doorway. The figure stared right back.

"Sirius…" croaked Bellatrix.

Sirius let out something that sounded like a cross between a gag and a squeak. His eyes darted from Frank to Bellatrix.

"What…the… _hell_?" he croaked back.

It took Sirius a few minutes to remember how to speak again.

"B-But… _Frank_?" he blurted. "He's a blood traitor! Uncle Cygnus will murder you!"

"I'm aware of all this, Sirius," muttered Bellatrix. "Just…don't tell anyone."

Sirius let out a small laugh of disbelief.

"Who would believe me?" he said, smiling faintly.

His smile widened until he was practically beaming at Bellatrix. This was the first time he had ever been proud of his cousin.

"That was _brilliant_ in the drawing room," said Sirius to Frank. "Best fun I've had here in _years_."

"Err… anytime mate," muttered Frank sheepishly.

There was a short, mildly awkward silence.

"Right…" said Sirius. "I'm gonna go now… before you start… snogging again."

Bellatrix smiled.

"Sod off, Sirius," she said without a hint of the usual aggression she showed towards him.

Sirius gave them both an awkward wave and complied. Frank turned to Bellatrix.

"He just needs someone to look up to," said Frank. "He's a good kid."

Bellatrix sighed.

"I know," she said, "and don't you dare tell him I said that."

Sirius, who had been standing just outside, grinned. Maybe Bellatrix wasn't so bad after all.


	11. The Shop That was Falling Apart

The Shop That Was Falling Apart

Diagon Alley was surprisingly quiet considering the time of year. Post Christmas sales attracted many a silly young witch but this year the snowy streets were all but empty. It was fear that kept them away. No parent would send their child out when people were disappearing every other day. The few that were there walked in pairs, swiftly and silently.

One pair stood out in the scanty crowd. These two cloaked figures were not hurrying away to their destinations like the others. One was pacing furiously and the other was casting nervous glances at the passers by, as though afraid of being seen.

It was well past twelve and Bellatrix was going from frustrated to furious.

"He said it was next to the Leaky Cauldron," snarled Bellatrix. "For a man, he's bloody hopeless at giving directions."

Andromeda was not looking for the 'shop that was falling apart'. She was grew more anxious everytime someone past by. It was as if she was waiting for a Death Eater (or Merlin forbid, someone they knew) to pass by and give them grief. She would not have come at all but none of them were allowed out of the house alone. Bellatrix had all but begged her to come.

"Bella," whispered Andromeda.

Bellatrix ignored her and continued to pace. Andromeda was beginning to loose her patience.

"Bella!" she snapped.

Bellatrix stopped pacing and glared at her sister.

"What now, Andromeda?" Bellatrix snapped back.

Andromeda returned the glare. Bellatrix may have been short-tempered and harsh but she had never been irrational. Andromeda hated the fact that her sister seemed to be losing her head over a blood traitor. She had remained silent at Hogwarts. She had said nothing when they met with their families. She tried to ignore the letters.

But this was going too far.

"This is foolishness," hissed Andromeda. "_All of this!_"

Bellatrix knew exactly what Andromeda meant but what really made her angry was the fact that she knew her sister was right. Sneaking out was foolish. Dating Frank in the first place was foolish. Every part of her that was Slytherin screamed in protest. She must be a very poor Slytherin because that wasn't about to stop her. _Bad directions might._

"Be quiet, Dromeda," said Bellatrix under her breath.

_"I will not be quiet!"_ said Andromeda loudly.

A few passers by stared at them before hurrying away again. Bellatrix was so taken aback by Andromeda's outburst that she actually stopped and let her sister speak. Once silenced, Andromeda _never_ spoke up again. It was a survival tactic. Knowing when to shut up in the Black Household was a useful thing to have. Bellatrix wondered for a moment if her mother was right and she really was being a bad influence on her. Andromeda took a breath to calm herself before speaking.

"Frank is an Auror and a bloodtraitor," she said. "By his actions he is putting you in danger as well."

Bellatrix recovered enough from her shock to speak.

"I'm not afraid of the Death Eaters, Andromeda," she said quietly.

"Even you cannot deny that they are growing powerful," said Andromeda, dropping her voice. "You read the Prophet-"

"The Prophet doesn't print anything that the Death Eaters don't want us to hear," interrupted Bellatrix sharply. "They print those exaggerated horror stories because they _want_ us to be frightened of our own shadows."

Andromeda closed her eyes in frustration. When she opened them, Bellatrix could see the anger burning there.

"And what of the Dark Lord?" asked Andromeda coldly. "Is he just an…_ exaggerated horror story_?"

Bellatrix hesitated before answering.

"The Dark Lord is just a man."

In pureblood circles, that statement was about as close to blasphemy you could get without using the Dark Lord's name. Andromeda was beyond being shocked at her sister's behaviour at this point.

"You're just as reckless as Frank," she said bitterly. "You're both going to get hurt."

Bellatrix tried to ignore Andromeda's dark prediction but she couldn't help hearing. Before she could say anything to defend her actions, Andromeda's nose wrinkled in distaste.

"Is _that_ it?" she scoffed, pointing at what looked like an empty alley way.

If Andromeda had not pointed the shop out, Bellatrix would never have noticed it. It was almost completely hidden by the Leaky Cauldron and the large shop next to it. When Frank said that the place was falling apart he had not quite done the situation justice. It was a little more than a broken shack with grimy windows. An enchanted set of tools appeared to be trying to fix the roof without much success.

"Perhaps he wanted to meet somewhere…off the beaten track," mumbled Bellatrix, although she doubted it.

Frank lacked the discretion that all Slytherins seemed to be born with. Andromeda knew this as well as Bellatrix.

"I don't know," she said dryly. "It looks rather _beaten_ to me."

Ignoring her sister's newfound talent for sarcasm, Bellatrix tried to knock at the door but only managed one knock before it fell off its hinges. It landed on the floor with dull thud, bringing up a cloud of sawdust. To their eternal embarrassment, both Bellatrix and Andromeda jumped in fright.

"Oi! Gentle with the door!" shouted someone from inside.

Out from the dust emerged none other than Ted Tonks. The disgusted expression on Andromeda's face grew more pronounced.

"What are you doing here?" asked Bellatrix.

She was pleased to see her friend, despite her anxiousness to see Frank. It was hard to imagine that only last night he was Theodore Longbottom, pureblood extraordinaire. There he stood, wearing strange muggle clothes and covered in sawdust.

"I knew this dunghill was missing a mudblood," muttered Andromeda. "I presume you own this monstrosity."

Ted beamed at Bellatrix and smirked at Andromeda.

"Don't turn your nose up at this place, Princess," he said. "A little elbow grease and duct tape and this place will be the best shop in Diagon Alley."

Bellatrix frowned.

"Err…_duck tape?_" she asked.

Andromeda and Ted ignored her. It was time for another round of verbal sparring.

"So you'll be a shop boy and a mudblood… how quaint," sneered Andromeda. "Tired of the muggles you work with already?"

Ted's mouth twitched. Andromeda was in a particularly bad mood after last night apparently. Her words had more bite than usual.

"Well, don't stand out in the cold," said Ted calmly. "Come in."

"It's colder inside this death trap, mudblood," said Andromeda, with a mocking laugh.

Ted gave up trying to be polite.

"You can stay outside then," he said through clenched teeth. "Bella, are you coming?"

Bellatrix gingerly stepped over the door. Andromeda followed her despite the dark looks Ted was casting in her direction. Despite being a bit of a wreck on the outside, it was brightly lit on the inside. This may have been due to the gaping hole in the roof but still… this room at least had potential. All it needed was good scrub and a lick of Everglott's High-grade Magical Paint on the walls (and a roof that didn't let snow fall into the place).

"Where's Frank?" asked Bellatrix, after looking around the shabby interior and finding nothing.

"He's not here yet," said Ted. "He's a bit late actually…"

"I noticed," said Bellatrix stiffly.

Ted shuffled nervously and put the door back into its frame. Bellatrix had _that_ look on her face again.

"Care for a cuppa?" he asked after a brief, awkward silence.

Bellatrix found a kettle in what she could only presume the kitchen. It was a sinister, muggle contraption that needed a good clean.

"No thank you," she said with all the composure she could muster. "What is this place, Ted? Do you really own it?"

"Yep," said Ted with obvious pride.

"Down to the last slime-covered window," muttered Andromeda.

Ted chose to ignore that comment.

"What possessed you to buy it?" asked Bellatrix. "Don't you already have a job?"

"I needed a project," said Ted with a shrug. "As fun as being a weatherman by day and a muggle confounder by night is… I have a bit too much spare time."

While Andromeda hung back with a rather sulky expression on her face, Bellatrix explored Ted's shop-in-progress. She frowned at a particularly unstable looking chimney that would smoke if it was in use.

"What do you plan to do with it?" asked Bellatrix, trying to sound excited.

"Fix it up. Sell stuff."

Andromeda pushed over a crumbling, half wall with one hand. Ted winced as it hit the floor.

"Good luck with that," said Andromeda with something that almost sounded like pity.

There was a loud crack, like the sound of someone apparating. Something came, half stumbling, half crashing into the room. Frank looked like he had run a marathon but Bellatrix had no sympathy for him.

"You are late," she snarled.

Frank winced.

"Would you believe me if I said that I was called last minute to fight off Death Eaters in Devonshire and tried to stun them as quickly as possible so I could get here on time?" mumbled Frank. "But there was this big, blonde one…"

As Frank went into his explanation, which involved a lot of trying not to die, Bellatrix began to smile.

"I believe you," she said a laugh. "Honestly… don't you know how to stay out of trouble?"

When Frank saw that she was no longer angry at him, he grinned sheepishly.

"Nah," he said, extending his hand to her. "Are you coming?"

Before Bellatrix could take Frank's hand, Andromeda strode between them and glared at Bellatrix.

"You're _leaving?_" shouted Andromeda. "_Alone_?"

"You didn't think Frank would take Bella for a date _here_, did you?" asked Ted, raising his eyebrows. "This isn't exactly the most romantic stop in town."

Andromeda ignored him. She turned her glare to Frank, waiting for an explanation.

"It was just the first place I thought of that wasn't crawling with purebloods," said Frank, with a shrug.

Apparently Bellatrix should have given Frank a little more credit. He could show discretion every now and then.

"Until now," muttered Ted darkly, shooting Andromeda an unpleasant look.

Andromeda chose to ignore him again.

"You can't go alone!" she hissed at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix crossed her arms and Andromeda mimicked her. Frank wasn't entirely sure what to do and stayed quiet. Ted however, was still angry with Andromeda.

"Bella's not alone," snapped Ted. "She's with Frank."

"I meant alone with Frank, idiot!" snarled Andromeda. "Stay out of this."

"I knew _exactly_ what you meant, you prissy, stuck up… pureblood!"

Andromeda's glare turned murderous.

"_Prissy?_" she hissed. "You ignorant, pathetic…_bastard_!"

"That's a new one," sneered Ted. "What happened to mudblood?"

Bellatrix was a little fed up with her friend and her sister at this point.

"Give it a rest you two," she said sharply. "I'm not going to do anything stupid. Andromeda, you're worrying for nothing."

Andromeda pursed her lips. She wasn't worrying needlessly. It was getting dangerous and Frank and Bellatrix were getting reckless.

"If you're seen..." muttered Andromeda, leaving her warning hanging.

"We won't be seen," said Bellatrix firmly. "I'll be back in two hours, Dromeda.

Andromeda blinked.

"You want me to stay _here_ for two hours," she said blankly.

They all ignored Ted's indignant cry.

"Of course not," scoffed Bellatrix. "Just pretend to be shopping or something."

"Fine," said Andromeda crossly. "_Two hours_, Bella."

"Yes Mother," said Bellatrix, rolling her eyes.

Frank gave them all a cheery wave before leaving with Bellatrix. Andromeda and Ted were left alone. They spent their brief time together glaring until Andromeda stormed outside.


	12. Frank's Secret

Frank's Secret

Winter had passed very quickly. Soon there was sunlight passing through the not-so-gapping hole in Ted's roof instead of snow. Frank and Bellatrix continued to meet at Ted's shop-in-progress every other week. Ted had been quite happy to let them use it.

"I don't get to see you two anymore," he said, a week after their first meeting. "Frank is too busy taking out Death Eaters and Bella is too busy trying to get away from her crazy pureblood family."

He looked pointedly at Andromeda when he said this. She glared back.

"When you're sick of... exchanging corny poems or whatever... you can hang around here if you like," said Ted with a shrug.

Bellatrix looked mildly disgusted at the idea of Frank reading romantic poetry to her. Frank wasn't too thrilled about the thought either. The light hearted bickering continued for at least half an hour, but resulted in all of them (except Andromeda) agreeing to meet at the shop that was slowly bringing to take form.

Unfortunately for Bellatrix, meeting at Ted's shop made it easy for Frank to surprise her. He had taken her to duelling clubs and the Auror's Office. Now he was taking her somewhere else.

Frank strode through the trees and Bellatrix trudged behind him, trying not to grimace. She hadn't been keeping up her Quidditch training and found herself lagging behind. She wasn't exactly in the mood to appreciate the scenery, even if it was quite pretty.

"This way," said Frank brightly.

"Where are we going?" asked Bellatrix impatiently.

Frank allowed himself a chuckle.

"It's a surprise," he said mischievously.

Bellatrix scowled.

"What have I told you about surprises?" she snapped.

Frank only grinned at her over his shoulder and kept walking. Bellatrix sighed. She hated it when he grinned like that. It made it impossible for her to stay mad at him.

"This better be a bloody good surprise," she grumbled, clambering over a large, fallen tree.

"Have I ever disappointed you?" called Frank from somewhere ahead of her.

They soon reached a large clearing. Golden sunlight poured in from over the top of the trees. The trees were so tall that their view of muggle London was completely obscured.

"Pretty," said Bellatrix dryly.

Frank was trying not to smile. He had counted on this reaction.

"Perfect day for a bit of flying, don't you think?" he asked casually.

It took a moment for that statement to register. Bellatrix stared at Frank in stunned silence.

"You didn't!" she exclaimed suddenly, making Frank jump.

Still wearing his grin, Frank went to a large oak tree and retrieved two broomsticks that were concealed there. Bellatrix continued to stare at Frank for a few more moments and then, abandoning all composure, gave a cry of delight and kissed him soundly on the mouth.

"So you like your surprise?" said Frank, mildly bemused.

"I'll never doubt you again," said Bellatrix in perfect seriousness.

Frank handed her a broomstick. It felt wonderfully familiar in her hands.

"Race around the clearing?" he asked.

The next thing Bellatrix knew, she was mounting her broomstick and kicking hard off the ground. The instant she was in the air her worries vanished. The wind roared in her ears and trees passed by in a blur. This was how she loved to fly. Break neck speeds and steep dives. Frank beat her by about half a second but she was already getting her old skill back.

Bellatrix was so caught up in the joy of flying that she almost didn't notice Frank coming to an abrupt halt. She looked back and saw Frank, hovering two metres above the ground and staring at something in the clear blue sky. Bellatrix flew up to his side and squinted in the same direction Frank was looking.

Something was approaching them fast. It was a strange, pearly white and looked almost like a bird flying through the air.

"Is that a... is that a patronus?" whispered Bellatrix.

Frank paled as it came closer. It was a patronus... a phoenix patronus. It came to a halt just in front of Frank.

"Cuttingham Gardens," it said in a vaguely familiar, male voice. "Immediately."

And then it vanished. Bellatrix stared at the place it had once been, trying to understand what was happening. Frank landed and Bellatrix copied him.

"Bella, I need to go," said Frank faintly.

Bellatrix looked up at Frank sharply. He looked incredibly guilty. Bellatrix forced her voice to remain steady.

"This...this isn't from the Auror's office," said Bellatrix quietly. "Where is it from?"

"Bella, I need to go," said Frank rapidly. I'll explain later."

Bellatrix gave Frank the coldest and angriest glare she could muster; the one that usually made Sirius leave the room instantly.

"Explain now," she hissed, "or you're not going _anywhere._"

Frank bit his lip.

"It's from the Order of the Phoenix," he said loudly. "They're a secret society that fights against Voldemort."

Bellatrix barely registered the use of the Dark Lord's name. She was too furious.

"_Why didn't you tell me?_" she demanded.

"Because Professor Dumbledore asked me not to," blurted Frank.

Bellatrix was stunned for a moment but then her anger returned.

"_Dumbledore_..." she said, her voice dripping with scorn. "I should have known. If that manipulative old _bastard_ told you to jump off a _cliff_..."

Too angry to continue, Bellatrix put a hand to her head and tried to calm herself. Frank bit back his anger. He did not approve of Bellatrix insulting Albus Dumbledore but she had every right to be angry. After a moment, Bellatrix forced herself to speak calmly.

"I'm coming with you," she said finally.

Frank opened his mouth to protest but Bellatrix cut him off.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me it's too dangerous Frank!" she shouted, abandoning all notions of staying calm. "I_ will not_ stay behind like a good little pureblood girl while you throw yourself into danger... _again_!"

"This isn't a _sexist_ thing!" Frank shouted back. "This is a _I don't want you getting hurt_ thing."

Bellatrix's expression softened for a moment. _Stupid, noble Gryffindor..._

"Well, I don't want _you_ getting hurt," she said firmly. "I'm going with you."

Frank knew she would not be persuaded otherwise. Hoping fervently that this wasn't going to end badly, Frank hid the broomsticks again, took Bellatrix's hand and apparated.


	13. Fire with Fyre

Author's Note: Every time I write romance it somehow ends up including violence… hmm.

* * *

Fire with Fyre

Bellatrix and Frank apparated under a large oak tree. The Cuttingham gardens in Wessex were apparently closed for renovations so there wasn't a muggle tourist in sight.

The Order of the Phoenix seemed to only consist of seven other people. Bellatrix instantly recognised one of them. He had a face like a poorly made Halloween mask and was wearing a black eye patch. He looked like a cross between a pirate and a villain from one of Ted's horror movies. This man was obviously Alastor Moody.

The members of the Order were not so thrilled about Bellatrix's arrival. Fabian, Gideon and their cousin Alice were there. Gideon's hand jumped for his wand but a sharp look from Alice made him freeze. Fabian was glaring at Frank and Bellatrix as though they were Death Eaters themselves. Arthur Weasley, dressed in robes that looked like they were from the Two Sickles Shop, jumped in alarm when he caught sight of Bellatrix and exchanged alarmed glances with two woman Bellatrix did not recognise.

Moody did not waste time with surprise. His beady eye darted to Bellatrix but, most uncharacteristically, he did not draw his wand and question her yet. He turned his attention to the rest of the Order.

_This must be serious,_ thought Frank.

"I'll get to the point…the Death Eaters are attacking three muggle villages as we speak," said Moody sharply. "We need to split up and take them out. Dumbledore and McGonagall are already in Little Hampton where the majority of them are. Hestia and Marlene will join them. Alice, Fabian and Arthur are with me. Gideon, go to Barton Park with Frank and…"

His eye fell on Bellatrix again. The look he gave her would have spooked anyone else but not her.

"I'm Bellatrix Black," she said clearly. "I'm here to help."

Gideon coughed loudly, earning himself a look of loathing from Frank. They clearly hadn't forgotten the fight they had at school. Moody turned Frank.

"Can she be trusted?" he asked.

Frank and Gideon simultaneously contradicted and glared at each other. Before the argument could escalate, Alice spoke up.

"Frank's not an idiot, Gideon," she said loudly. "He's my partner. I've worked with him for years and he's the best trainee Auror there is."

Bellatrix cast a surprised look at Frank. _Alice Prewett_… a pureblood and a female… had made it into the Auror's Office? _And she was Frank's partner?_

Alice gave Frank an admiring look. Bellatrix managed not to scowl.

"If he trusts Black," said Alice firmly. "Then I trust her."

Frank smiled at her appreciatively. Bellatrix tried very hard to feel grateful for Alice's intervention but she couldn't quite manage it. She knew perfectly well that Alice's trust was all for Frank.

Gideon gave Alice cousin a disgusted look which she chose to ignore. Moody grimaced.

"I don't like this," he said quietly, "but we need all the help we can get."

Moody turned to Bellatrix.

"Don't cross us girl," he said in a low, threatening voice.

Beneath the threat there was a sense of urgency. Bellatrix nodded her understanding. Moody's beady eye did not leave her lidded ones until he was satisfied of her trustworthiness.

"Alright everyone," said Moody finally. "Move out."

*

The first thing Bellatrix heard was screaming. Some of the screams were cut short by death but others were not so lucky. They had apparated on a hill that was overlooking Barton Park. The muggle town was burning below them and the air was thick with smoke. Frank counted at least fifteen dark figures... _Death Eaters_

Gideon's mouth curled into a snarl.

"Come on," he growled.

Gideon headed down the hill, wand drawn. Pale with anger, Frank made to follow him.

"Wait!" hissed Bellatrix.

Gideon and Frank stopped in their tracks. Bellatrix flicked her wand and conjured three plain, black masks.

"Masks?" said Gideon in disgust. "We're not Death Eaters, Black! We don't have time-"

Bellatrix lost her patience.

"There are only three of us, you jumped up idiot!" she snarled. "If we use masks we can trick them into thinking they're outnumbered… we'll use their own weapon of anonymity against them!"

It made sense... even if Gideon didn't like it.

"Give me that," he snapped.

Bellatrix threw the mask unceremoniously at Gideon's head. He glared at her as he put it on. Bellatrix held out the mask for Frank. He reached out to take it and his hand lingered for the briefest of moments. They did not have time for sentimentality.

"Now…" said Bellatrix, her dark eyes glinting from beneath the mask, "let's give them a little taste of their own medicine."

Gideon may have disliked Bellatrix but he couldn't help smirking as she said this. Sometimes Black did have the right idea about things.

*

Six Death Eaters had surrounded a muggle in the street. The young man backed away, his eye darting frantically as he tried to find an exit. His only escape was engulfed in flames.

"Nowhere to run, eh mudworm?" sneered a Death Eaters, playing with the wand between his fingers.

The muggle was trembling violently.

"Please..." he begged, his eyes wide with fear. "_Please…_"

The Death Eaters were too busy glorying in the weakness of the muggle to notice one of their number vanishing. What they did notice was the muffled cry he made when Gideon knocked him out with a curse.

"What the hell was that?" hissed one of the Death Eaters.

A smaller, weedier looking Death Eater noticed that one of their companions was missing. He began to fidget nervously. The muggle was forgotten but he seemed to be too petrified to move.

"Where did he go?" muttered the weedy Death Eater. "He was just there…"

Before the weedy Death Eater could speculate further, jets of red sparks soared from the rooftops and struck his companions. The two remaining Death Eaters fired blindly at the flaming houses in a panic. The other Death Eater fell, overwhelmed by the curses raining down on him, and the weedy Death Eater found himself alone.

"Show yourselves, cowards!" he shrieked.

"Cowards?" said a harsh but distinctly feminine voice from behind him.

The Death Eater turned around sharply. Behind him stood a rather sinister looking woman. She wore a tight-fitting black mask and held her wand lazily in her hand. There had to be many more of her companions… _she couldn't have fought them all by herself._

"This coming from a man who duels muggles for sport," she sneered. "Why not land a blow on someone who can fight back?"

The Death Eater clumsily lunged forward with a curse. The woman blocked it deftly. She toyed with him for while, allowing him to try and curse her. Apparently tired of playing around, she disarmed the Death Eater with almost ridiculous ease. He did not waste time with bravado and instantly took off in the other direction.

"That was a bit theatrical," muttered Gideon, as he jumped off the roof.

Frank leaped down after him, casting a grim but satisfied look at the fleeing Death Eater. He glanced at Bellatrix, who was still smirking at the place the Death Eater had once been.

"He'll warn the others," said Frank.

Bellatrix's smirk grew more pronounced.

"Good," she said venomously. "We'll need to scare them for our plan to work."

Bellatrix turned to the muggle. He quailed as he approached her. She was as threatening as any Death Eater. She tried to look friendly but it was somewhat difficult when she was pointing her wand at him.

"Obliviate!" she said loudly.

The muggle's eyes widened momentarily and then became distant. He slumped down next to a post box with a cheerful smile playing about his lips. He suddenly noticed the burning houses and cast a startled look at Bellatrix.

"There's been an accident," said Bellatrix quietly. "Stay here until help arrives."

"O-Okay…" stammered muggle.

When she was satisfied that the muggle wasn't going to run off, Bellatrix strode away from him with a look of pity and contempt on her face.

"That handles _that_ useless creature," said Bellatrix with satisfaction. "Where are the other Death Eaters?"

Frank chose to ignore Bellatrix's choice of words.

"They were all in the town square before," he said. "Most of the muggles ran out there."

"What are we waiting for then?" growled Gideon.

*

The muggles in the town square were running in every direction, pursued by Death Eaters. They taunted the muggles, allowing them to run in fear but not to get away. Frank crouched on the roof of a flaming building, his nails digging into the wood of his wand. Bellatrix and Gideon were crouched on other rooftops, waiting.

The weedy Death Eater ran into the middle of the square, shouting unintelligibly.

"What is it now?" snapped a Death Eater.

The weedy Death Eater struggled to catch his breath.

"They're…they're coming!"

The second the words were out of his mouth, curses began raining down on the Death Eaters from the flaming roof tops. To the Death Eaters, it looked like countless masked figures were appearing from nowhere and vanishing without a trace.

Some fell quickly, caught by surprise. Some were harder to stun than others. Others apparated away from the danger and left their comrades to fend for themselves. Frank, Bellatrix and Gideon may have been out numbered but they had the higher ground and the element of surprise. Soon even the stronger Death Eaters were forced to flee.

Frank aimed a final curse at the weedy Death Eater but he ran faster than he had done before.

"Slippery little bastard…" scowled Frank.

He headed through an alleyway between two houses.

"Either there's more Death Eaters there or the piss worm is too frightened to apparate," said Gideon darkly.

The muggles were frozen on the spot. Most of them looked like they were about to faint or make a run for it. Bellatrix turned to Gideon.

"Make sure they stay put…" muttered Bellatrix. "Frank and I will handle the Death Eater."

Bellatrix and Frank hurried silently down the alleyway. It was smoggier and a lot harder to see. Suddenly Bellatrix pulled Frank back into the gap between too houses.

"He's not alone," whispered Bellatrix. "Look."

Frank discretely looked into the alley way. With the weedy man was another Death Eater, imposing and fierce.

Frank's stomach squirmed. This tall, muscular man had been waiting for any muggle who managed to escape the Death Eaters in the town square. At least two muggles lay dead in the alleyway and Frank was sure that there were more in other alley ways.

"They're picking us off... one by one..." gasped the weedy Death Eater. "There must be dozens of them..."

"No," said the tall, muscular man. "No... if they had greater numbers they would have attacked without such tactics."

Frank and Bellatrix exchanged glances. This one was smarter than the rest.

"Go… return to the Dark Lord's side and inform him of what has happened," said the Death Eater with obvious authority. "I will handle this."

The weedy Death Eater was only too happy to oblige. He vanished with a loud crack.

"Ready?" whispered Frank.

Bellatrix nodded and darted out of the gap, firing a curse. Frank was right behind her, ready to block anything the Death Eater threw at them.

But he was already running away from them. For someone who insisted upon handling them alone he did take off very quickly. Bellatrix and Frank sprinted after him. The Death Eater flung himself through alleyways and between the burning houses so they could not get a clear shot. He ran into a house a short distance from the others. It was the only house untouched by the flames. Gideon ran towards them.

"The muggles are asleep," he panted. "You found another one?"

Frank nodded turned to Bellatrix.

"Go through the back…" he murmured. "Cut off his exit."

Bellatrix nodded and ran around the house. Frank took the lead, blasting open the front door. The Death Eater was no where to be seen.

They entered a sitting room. An old muggle woman lay dead by the fireplace. Frank's heart began to hammer in his chest. Gideon cursed under his breath, his face as white as a sheet. He moved in front of Frank, squinting at dark corner of the room as though he could just see something there.

"Incarcerous!"

Gideon fell to the ground, cursing as the ropes wrapped around his ankles, chest and arms. Something cracked when he hit the floor. The Death Eater sprung from the shadows and began a fierce duel with Frank.

He had never faced someone so powerful before. Every curse Frank threw at the Death Eater was knocked back deftly. The Death Eater moved quickly, firing curse upon curse without hesitation.

One of the multiple curses struck Frank in the chest and brought him to his knees. With a snarl of contempt, the Death Eater disarmed him and knocked him back.

"_Crucio!_"

Frank screamed as the curse took over. Every inch of him burned with pain. For the first time in his life he just wanted to die…

"_NO!_" someone screamed.

The pain was gone as quickly as it came. Frank shakily looked up and saw the Death Eater, holding his scorched wand hand…and Bellatrix.

She stood between Frank and the Death Eater, her features a mixture of determination and hatred. The Death Eater had a very similar expression on his face.

"That… was very foolish," he whispered.

Bellatrix's lips curled into a snarl and her grip on her wand tightened. There was no taunting from her… all she wanted was to hurt this Death Eater as much as he had hurt Frank.

He moved faster than Bellatrix would have thought possible for a man of his size. He lashed out at her with his wand, hissing a curse. Bellatrix barely managed to block it. She fired a ball of blue black flame at his head in retaliation but he vanished it with a flick of his wand.

A jet of blue light struck Bellatrix in the stomach and slammed her into a glass cabinet. The air was knocked out of her lungs and her body was covered in small cuts. She struggled to get to her feet, to do something other that die squirming on the ground, but the Death Eater seized her by the hair and held her down.

"I never quite liked masks…" he whispered, "but you and your little friends have used them quite ingeniously."

But the Death Eater didn't have time to take of Bellatrix's mask. Summoning all the strength he could muster, Frank launched himself across the room with a brilliant display of muggle duelling. Unfortunately, Frank was the slighter of the two men and found himself losing the muggle duel as well as the magical one.

Bellatrix seized her wand and struggled to her feet as Frank continued to wrestle with the Death Eater. Frank was knocked to the ground again. The Death Eater opened his mouth to perform the killing curse.

"Hey!" shouted Bellatrix.

The Death Eater turned to look at her. From the way he titled his head, Bellatrix could almost imagine his bemused his expression beneath his mask. She didn't exactly look like she was up for another duel.

"Block this," she snarled.

Bellatrix's wand let out a roar. From the tip emerged a creature made entirely of flame. It was followed by many others and all of them raced after the Death Eater..._Fiendfyre_.The Death Eater's eyes widen in alarm. He raised his left hand to protect his face and gave a cry of pain as a chimera of flame burned his arm. Before the flames could consume him, he vanished with a crack.

The Death Eater was finally gone but now Bellatrix, Frank and Gideon had a bigger problem on their hands.

The fiery creatures were lunging at Frank and Gideon but were held back by an unseen force. Frank forced himself to get to his feet. Fiendfyre could not be held at bay for long.

"Hurry!" groaned Bellatrix. "I can't control it!"

She looked like she was about to collapse from the effort of keeping the flames away from Gideon and Frank. The spell was sapping her energy.

Frank grabbed his wand again and freed Gideon from the ropes the Death Eater had conjured. Gideon scrambled to his feet, clutching his shoulder. The house was filling with thick, black smoke and it was getting difficult to breathe.

Bellatrix fell forward onto her knees. The fire was on the loose now. It charged after Frank and Gideon who ran and dodged as fast as their feet could carry them. Before the flames could claim her too, Frank seized Bellatrix and hauled her over his shoulder. Bellatrix was too exhausted to be indignant.

"Win-window…" coughed Gideon.

Gideon smashed open one of the large windows and clambered out of it. Frank hastily threw Bellatrix out and jumped to safety. The three of them collapsed on the ground and lay there coughing. The house that they had been inside minutes before crumbled to the ground. With nothing to left feed on, the Fiendfyre let out one last deafening roar and died out.

Gideon pulled of his mask in between coughing fits. Frank did the same. They were pretty much useless with all the holes burned into them.

"_Fiendfyre?_" choked Gideon when he could manage it.

Bellatrix pulled off her own mask, put out her smouldering robes and continued to cough for a few moments before answering.

"Well… _it worked_, didn't it?" she retorted.

Bellatrix tried to lift herself of the ground but her arms didn't seem to be up to it just yet. She felt like she had been beaten up by a particularly nasty bludger. She felt a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off.

"There's no need to fuss, Frank," she murmured. "I'm perfectly alright."

She finally pulled herself upright with a wince of pain and looked up at Frank. He looked terrible, although Bellatrix was sure that she was no picture herself, but his hands were shaking uncontrollably. The Cruciatus Curse had been powerful.

"Are you alright?" whispered Bellatrix.

Frank noticed her concern and shrugged. He slipped his hands into his pockets so she couldn't see them but it didn't make her feel any better. The fact that there was a man capable of defeating all three of them in a duel disturbed her.

"I will be," said Frank with a smile. "Thanks to you."

Bellatrix turned scarlet.

"Don't be ridiculous," she muttered. "I would have been incinerated if you hadn't pulled me out of there."

Willing his hands to remain steady, Frank took them out of his pocket and held onto her hand. She tried not smile but Frank saw her mouth twitch.

"Don't sell yourself short, Bella," he said firmly. "You saved us."

The tender moment was somewhat hindered by the sound of Gideon cursing repeatedly under his breath and clutching his shoulder as he pulled himself upright. Bellatrix rolled her eyes and limped over to him.

"What did you do to yourself?" she asked exasperatedly.

Frank watched in bemusement as Bellatrix tentatively touched Gideon's shoulder. When Gideon cried out, she scuffed him over the head.

"Stop complaining!" snapped Bellatrix. "I don't care if you're in pain but if healing you is the only way to make you…_shut up_…then I will bloody fix this wether you like it or not!"

Gideon looked murderous but he fell silent. Bellatrix inspected his shoulder, noting when he winced.

"You've dislocated it." said Bellatrix finally.

"Really?" said Gideon, sarcastic and annoying even when injured. "So _that's_ what the unbearable pain was."

Bellatrix muttered something about Gideon being a baby. She didn't think that she was quite up to healing spells so she simply shoved his bone back into its socket. Gideon swore at an octave higher than usual.

The sound of people apparating in the town square made them all jump. They were thankfully not Death Eaters.

"Aurors…" murmured Gideon.

Frank was relieved that they were here. They could contain the muggles and erase the frightening ordeal from their memories. Bellatrix on the other hand, felt differently. If she was caught rescuing muggles from Death Eaters things it would definitely end badly for her family.

"Frank, I can't stay here…" she whispered in a panic. "I have to go."

Frank saw the anxiousness in her face and nodded.

"See you soon," he whispered.

But she was already gone.


	14. Albus Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore

Andromeda entered Ted's shop with her nose wrinkled in distaste. Ted ignored her. He was focused on adding the finishing touches to the suddenly hole-less roof. Andromeda had never seen anyone fix something by hand and watched him apply the plaster with a mixture of curiosity and contempt.

"I don't suppose Bellatrix has come back yet," she said finally.

Ted took a moment to admire his handiwork before answering. He seemed to be in a good mood now that he didn't have to put a water repellent charm on his roof anymore.

"Not yet," he said cheerfully. "Have a seat."

Andromeda gave the old couch a look as though it might collapse if she sat on it. The dull, striped fabric was covered in lint and the tears had been repaired with duct tape. After debating with herself, she gingerly sat down. It was surprisingly comfortable.

The minutes rolled by in silence. Ted frowned at the wizard clock on the wall, one of the few magical items in the shop. Andromeda began to drum her fingers impatiently on the coffee table.

"_Where are they?_" she asked loudly.

"Relax Princess… they're coming," said Ted.

"Mother will ask questions if we get back this late," Andromeda snapped back. "What could possibly be taking this long?"

Ted raised his eyebrows.

"Do you… _really_ want me to answer that question?"

Andromeda caught his meaning and turned scarlet. She tried to get to her feet indignantly but she kept sinking back into the couch. Ted chuckled and went to put the plaster back into the storeroom.

Andromeda managed to get to her feet eventually. She gave the couch the venomous look she usually reserved for Ted and began to pace. Bellatrix knew perfectly well how important it was to be on time. If they were out too late it was likely that they would be confined to the house. She stopped pacing and forced herself to remain calm. Bellatrix could usually come up with a good excuse if needed.

While Andromeda waited, her eyes fell on a bookshelf. It had not been in the shop the last time she came. Like everything else there it needed a good scrub but, judging from the marks left in the dust, it was not neglected. Andromeda frowned. Ted did not strike her as a great reader.

She absently picked up a book. The wizarding world provided very little good literature. The Tales of Beedle and Bard had been forbidden to her as a child and had bored her as a teenager. The novels she read were usually poor attempts at story telling but excellent anti-muggle propaganda.

"Do you mind?"

Andromeda jumped. Ted was standing behind her looking rather angry. The cheerful expression he had worn only moments ago had vanished.

"Sorry," said Andromeda hastily, forgetting herself and actually apologising. "I was-"

Ted took the book sharply out of her hands.

"Being nosy?" he snapped.

Andromeda had recovered enough from her shock to give an angry response.

"It's only a book!" she said loudly.

Her response had made Ted even angrier.

"_Only a book?"_ he said indignantly. "Have you read this?"

"I'm not sure," said Andromeda through gritted teeth. "You didn't give me a chance to look at the cover."

Ted muttered something and looked away. He seemed a little ashamed of himself.

"It's called _Great Expectations_," he said quietly.

"Was it written by a wizard?" asked Andromeda coldly.

Ted frowned.

"No," he said. "Charles Dickens."

"Then no," said Andromeda with a sneer. "I have not the pleasure of reading novels written by _muggles._"

Ted seemed to hesitate for a moment before holding out the book for Andromeda.

"Then you should read it," he said firmly.

Andromeda was shocked for the second time in so many minutes but she managed not to show it.

"And why is that?" she snarled. "A moment ago you didn't want me to touch it."

"If this …" said Ted, waving the book in front of her, "is not better than the novels you stuff shirt purebloods write… you may gloat about pureblood supremacy for as long as you choose and I will shut my big mouth about it."

The thought of have one over Ted was very appealing. Andromeda took the book from Ted's hands.

"And if I deem the book satisfactory?" she asked.

Ted grinned.

"I get the _enormous_ pleasure… of rubbing it in your face."

The thought of having one over Andromeda was appealing to him too apparently. Andromeda smirked. _The bigger the pride…_

"Very well," she said smugly. "I accept you wager."

Before either of them could say anything further, the door burst open and Bellatrix strode inside. She looked terrible. Her hands were covered in cuts and there were burns all over her robes. Andromeda was too shocked to speak but Ted saved her the trouble.

"What the hell happened to you?" he said loudly.

Bellatrix struggled to think of a suitable lie. Her head was throbbing too much.

"I… fell," she muttered finally.

"You… _fell?_" echoed Andromeda in disbelief.

Ted was easier to convince.

"Merlin Bella, watch where you're going next time," said Ted in exasperation. "Where's Frank?"

Bellatrix put a hand to her temple. Their voices were giving her a headache.

"He's… coming later," she murmured. "We have to go, Ted."

With that, Bellatrix hurried towards the door. Andromeda rushed after her and left Ted alone. He grimaced.

"Nice to see you, Ted," he grumbled. "Thanks for the book, Ted. Ceiling's looking good, Ted… _bloody purebloods._"

*

Diagon Alley was as empty as usual. Despite the good weather, the increase in Death Eater activity had turned it into a ghost town. Andromeda usually found it difficult to catch up to Bellatrix but her sister seemed to be limping. She stood in front of Bellatrix and blocked her path.

"_What happened?_" she snarled.

Bellatrix held her head in her hands.

"It was nothing, Dromeda," she murmured. "Please... can we just go home?"

Andromeda's hands balled themselves into fists. Suddenly, it seemed even more obvious that Bellatrix was her sister. Her stance was aggressive.

"Do not lie to me, Bella," she said, her voice dangerously quietly. "_What did he do to you?_"

It took a minute for that statement to sink in. Bellatrix stared at Andromeda.

"You…you think _Frank_ did this?" she said slowly.

"Didn't he?" demanded Andromeda.

Bellatrix blinked.

"_Have you gone mad?_" she asked loudly.

It sounded ridiculous to Andromeda now but her expression did not soften and her hands were still balled into fists.

"If he didn't do this to you then he put you in harm's way," she said coldly.

"He didn't put me in _harm's way_," snapped Bellatrix. "I walked straight into_ harm's way_ without his help or his approval. Leave it alone, Andromeda."

Bellatrix brushed past Andromeda with a wince and continued to limp away. Andromeda followed, her lips pursed.

"Bellatrix… I know you like him immensely… but I need to make something clear," said Andromeda stiffly.

Andromeda stopped walking and paused.

"What?" murmured Bellatrix.

"If anything happens to you," said Andromeda finally, "I'll kill him."

Something in Andromeda's tone told Bellatrix that she wasn't joking. Bellatrix grimaced. For Frank's sake, she hoped they never came across that particular Death Eaters again.

*

After an hour of trying to get some rest, Bellatrix forced herself to get ready. Tonight was the Annual Ministry Ball, a party for wealthy purebloods disguised as a fundraiser for Saint Mungo's. It would be worse than Christmas because, after Frank's little disagreement with Rodolphus, someone had conveniently neglected to include the Longbottoms on the guest list. This time, Bellatrix was on her own.

Andromeda managed to heal the cuts, burns and bruises that could not be covered up by her black silk dress robes. There was nothing Andromeda could do about the exhaustion except give her sister coffee and hope she could keep her eyes open but at least you couldn't tell that she had recently been thrown out of a burning building.

After ten minutes of attempting to make small talk with people with whinny voices that were doing nothing for her headache, Bellatrix found her head beginning to slip. Narcissa nudged her awake for the umpteenth time in so many minutes.

"You look dead on your feet," she said dryly.

"That would because _I am_ dead on my feet," muttered Bellatrix.

In an effort to keep her eyes open, Bellatrix looked at the guests. Her eyes fell on a silver haired man in magenta robes who had just entered the ball room. A hush fell on the guest and nothing could be heard but the sound the man's boots on the polished marble floor. Albus Dumbledore was either oblivious to the staring or he simply didn't care.

The Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold, was waiting for Dumbledore with the heads of various Departments. Bellatrix, for the life of her, could not understand how Bagnold managed to get herself the pureblood vote and become Minister of Magic. She liked to think that the sharp old woman scared the chauvinistic males into submission. The second Dumbledore reached the Minister and greeted her, the whispering and harsh words began. He was not a popular figure in this particular crowd.

"What's he doing here?" asked Bellatrix quietly.

"The Minister requested his presence," said Narcissa stiffly. "Apparently he is a _respected_ member of the community."

Bellatrix frowned.

"That was never reason enough for him to come before."

"I don't pretend to fathom the way that senile old man's mind works," said Narcissa as prudishly as she could manage.

Bellatrix frown deepened. Dumbledore was certainly a little odd but he was a far cry from senile. She knew, even if Frank pretended to ignore it, that Dumbledore was as clever and cunning as any Slytherin. The most hated pureblood in Britain would not accept an invitation to the largest annual gathering of purebloods unless it was in his interests.

The whispering had died down but most of the people around Dumbledore were looking rather nauseated. Bellatrix couldn't bring herself to like the man who had sent Frank on what had very nearly become a suicide mission but there was something about the eccentric old man pissing off all the purebloods around him that made her smile.

Rodolphus was looking at Dumbledore in a particularly venomous manner. He was continuously flexing his gloved hands as though he wanted nothing more than to throttle him. Andromeda stood by his side. She had undoubtedly noticed Rodolphus' foul temper but dutifully said nothing about it. Bellatrix frowned at Rodolphus. He was as intimidating as he had been during the Christmas dance but his movements were stiffer than usual. Lucius Malfoy strode up to him looking strangely smug.

"You look a little tired, Rodolphus," he sneered. "Business going well?"

Rodolphus' mouth twitched. Andromeda tensed beside him.

"It is fine," said Rodolphus through clenched teeth.

"Read the papers?" asked Lucius.

"I have not had the opportunity."

"You're... ah…_friend_ Longbottom fended off about a dozen Death Eaters today," said Lucius, "with only Gideon Prewett to help him."

Rodolphus looked genuinely surprised at this. Andromeda and Narcissa put two and two together and slowly turned to glare at Bellatrix. Even Dumbledore was listening to the conversation now. He walked up to Narcissa, who took a step to the side as though he might infect her with a muggle disease.

"Only two of them?" said Rodolphus, arching his eyebrows. "That _is_ extraordinary."

"It seems rather unlikely that only two of them were present," said Dumbledore. "Perhaps their accomplices had their reasons for wishing to remain anonymous."

Bellatrix felt her cheeks reddening as Dumbledore's eyes fell on her briefly. Rodolphus and Lucius were thankfully oblivious to this silent exchange. Narcissa was determined that it stayed that way and asked Lucius for a dance so that he would be as far away from her blood traitor sister as possible.

Rodolphus had no intention of speaking with Dumbledore any further and left with an icy glare. Andromeda followed him rigidly, determinedly not looking at Bellatrix in case she started shouting.

Bellatrix was left alone with Dumbledore. The infuriating old man did nothing but smile pleasantly at her for a few moments, as though she had done him a great favour. It was getting on her nerves.

"Can I... _help you_, Professor?" she asked in a tone that suggested the opposite.

"You already have, my dear," said Dumbledore with a polite nod.

Bellatrix glanced around to see if anyone else was listening. Thankfully the guests had chosen to give Dumbledore a wide berth.

"Can we discuss this… somewhere else?" she asked quietly.

Bellatrix and Dumbledore went into the garden outside. It hadn't been watered for about a year and most of garden was dead. Dumbledore was examining a particularly dead looking plant.

"Gerberas," he said fondly. "My favourite."

Bellatrix's mouth twitched.

"That's nice," she muttered. "Want do you want, Professor?"

Dumbledore continued to smile. He was not put off by her abruptness.

"How is that you knew of the attack?" he asked.

"I was with Frank," said Bellatrix coldly.

"Social call?" asked Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling infuriatingly.

Bellatrix crossed her arms. She did not like being interrogated.

"Why the twenty questions... _sir_?" she added as an afterthought.

Dumbledore clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace, like he did when he was in his office at Hogwarts. It made Bellatrix feel like a student again and she shuffled uncomfortably.

"I confess... I was surprised when Alastor told me you were at Cuttingham Gardens," said Dumbledore finally.

"Why is that?" snapped Bellatrix.

Dumbledore looked at her from over his half-moon spectacles.

"You were never an outspoken advocate for muggle rights," he said mildly.

Bellatrix uncrossed her arms and looked down. _Dumbledore did have a point..._

"I don't particularly like muggles," she said flatly, "and I suppose... the penalty for being a Slytherin is that you have live with the rest of the Slytherins."

"What were your reasons for… bucking tradition so to speak?"

Bellatrix flushed with anger.

"My reasons, _sir_... was that you asked Frank to risk his neck and save a town full of _half-wits_," she snarled. "I knew I couldn't convince him to stay behind so I went with him."

Dumbledore said nothing for a few moments but his smile was gone. He frowned at her.

"Does Mr. Longbottom know of your views?" asked Dumbledore, a hint of disapproval evident in his tone.

"He pretends to ignore them," muttered Bellatrix.

"And what if Mr. Longbottom stayed behind? Would you have left the muggles to their fate?"

The question caught Bellatrix off guard. She didn't like muggles but that didn't mean that she wanted them all tortured and killed. She tried to avoid Dumbledore's eyes but they sought her out.

"I... I don't..." she murmured. "I don't know... I..."

But the more Bellatrix thought about it, the more she did know the answer. She had always wanted to fight alongside Frank and she had got her wish. She remembered the adrenalin rush she had felt as she stunned the Death Eaters. She had felt truly alive for the first time in years.

And then there were the muggles themselves. She could still see their petrified faces as they ran blindly from death. She could picture the ones who were lucky enough to get away and the ones that were not. She had the power to help them. It was a different kind of power than what was usually sort by the Slytherins... but it was power nevertheless.

"I would have gone regardless," said Bellatrix quietly. "It was the best fun I've had in years and besides... no one deserves that fate. Not even them."

Dumbledore smiled again. She had apparently given him the right answer.

"I don't suppose you would consider becoming a member of the Order yourself?" he asked. "We need a few members amongst the upper class purebloods and ministry officials."

Bellatrix's jaw dropped. Dumbledore wanted _her_ in the Order of the Phoenix? A Black... the most infamous pureblood family in Britain? Bellatrix quickly collected herself and hid her shock.

"You need spies, in other words," she said shrewdly.

Dumbledore nodded in acknowledgement of her choice of words.

"Are you interested, Miss Black?" he asked.

Bellatrix caught sight of Andromeda and Rodolphus through one of the windows. Andromeda was talking to Rodolphus, possibly in French, and looked more worried than she had been all evening. Her eyes were darting around the room. She was looking for her.

"I'm sorry, Professor," whispered Bellatrix. "I cannot accept."

Dumbledore grimaced. Bellatrix felt uncomfortable again. She did not like Dumbledore... but for reasons unfathomable to her she still did not like disappointing him. Bellatrix wondered if the infuriating old man had that effect on everyone.

"My family is in favour with the Dark Lord," she said. "You know this... Can you ask me to endanger them for your cause?"

"We could ensure the safety of your family," said Dumbledore.

"Could you really, sir?" asked Bellatrix. "Even against the will of my father? He would not want the help of…forgive me, sir… a man who walks around with _blood traitor_ written on his forehead."

Dumbledore let out a sigh.

"Is it showing again?" he asked, resigned.

"Like one of those flashing, muggle billboards," said Bellatrix with a small smile.

The stood in the garden in silence for a few moments. Bellatrix heard Narcissa calling her name anxiously from inside. It was time to go.

"I cannot help you until my family is out of danger," said Bellatrix. "When my actions no longer affect my sisters...when they no longer bear the name _Black_."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"And when they are _out_ of danger?"

Bellatrix gave Dumbledore the infamous Black family look, full of steel and aggression. It was the sort of look that let Dumbledore know that with her on his side, the Death Eaters didn't have a chance.

"Then consider me a member," she said fiercely.

Dumbledore beamed at her, like he used to when she did well at Hogwarts. From behind his back he produced a bright red gerbera and presented it to her. Bellatrix smirked despite herself and forgot that she actually disliked this man.

"Nice trick," said Bellatrix dryly as she took the flower from him.

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Until that time, Miss Black."

With that, Bellatrix hurried inside to find Narcissa and left Dumbledore whistling a tune in the garden, like the eccentric old man he was.


	15. The Apothecary

**The Apothecary**

Andromeda entered Ted's shop _without_ her customary disdainful expression. Her features seemed unsure how to arrange themselves. Ted, who was nailing some shelves into place after levitating them up against the wall, stopped his work and glanced up her.

"You're early," he said curiously. "They aren't back yet."

Andromeda's mouth twitched. Without saying a word, she crossed the room and returned _Great Expectations_ to the books shelf. When she did not accuse Ted of forcing her to endure the torture of reading muggle filth, Ted smirked.

"You loved it that much?" he asked in bemusement.

Andromeda seriously considered lying to Ted. It wasn't a particularly difficult thing for her to do, she was a Slytherin after all, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. The truth was that she had been completely engrossed by the book and had not read a single thing from the wizarding world to compare to it.

"It was... _satisfactory_, I suppose," she managed.

Ted shrugged. Andromeda expected some gloating but all Ted did was continue to work with infuriating smirk on his face. She would have preferred a little gloating to that smirk. She sat down gracefully on the old couch, carefully making sure that she did not to sink into it, crossed her arms and stared determinedly out the window.

"Did you want to borrow another one?" asked Ted innocently.

Andromeda's composure slipped and she slumped backwards into the cushions.

"No!" she snapped, struggling to sit upright again.

"Are you sure?" asked Ted, unable to keep the smugness out of his voice. "I mean... you enjoyed it this one so much..."

He was better at gloating than Andromeda gave him credit for apparently. Andromeda tried to keep her dignity and forced herself not to take his bait again.

"No, thank you," she said stiffly.

Ted chuckled and returned to fixing his shelves. Andromeda winced at the loud noise his hammer was making.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked. "You _can_ use your wand, can't you?"

"Where's the fun in that?" scoffed Ted. "Magic's useful and all but if you use it all the time you'll just get bored."

Andromeda didn't have an answer for that. She had to admit, despite his insistence on using primitive muggle methods to fix everything, he had done a very good job. He had turned the unstable shack into something that that people would actually want to walk into. She got to her feet and examined some of the shelves Ted had already built with a strange expression on her face.

"Have you decided what you are going to do with this place?" asked Andromeda suddenly.

Ted was caught off guard by the polite question. Andromeda rarely, if ever, asked them.

"Erm... don't know yet," he mumbled. "Something useful, I guess."

Andromeda raised her eyebrows. Slytherins rarely did anything without any idea of how they were going to profit.

"Any ideas?" she asked dryly.

Ted frowned thoughtfully.

"I could sell sporting goods...or food... that's always a good one... muggle memorabilia perhaps?"

Andromeda let out a derisive laugh and Ted crossed his arms indignantly.

"How exactly does that constitute as useful?" she asked, mocking him with every syllable.

"Yeah well... what's your _fantastic_ idea, Princess?" he demanded.

Andromeda hesitated for a moment. It looked like she was debating with herself.

"An apothecary," she said finally.

Ted stared at Andromeda in surprise. He didn't think that she had an _actual_ idea for him. Andromeda usually mocked him without suggestions for improvement. Andromeda took his silence as an invitation to continue.

"This is the perfect place for one," she said confidently.

Ted had never been fond of Potions. He had been better at the subject than Frank (it was difficult not to be) but it had never really interested him. Andromeda on the other hand was showing an emotion other than apathy or disdain for the first time in Ted's memory.

"Go on then," he said, completely and utterly bemused by her behaviour.

Andromeda tried to hide the excitement from her voice but whenever she discussed Potions she couldn't help it. Bellatrix's passion was duelling. Andromeda was a Potions Master. She had never had anyone to talk to about it except Professor Slughorn (who she personally found annoying and presumptuous) and Severus Snape. Although he was quite gifted, Snape was almost five years her junior and there were still gaps in his knowledge.

"This is the perfect temperature for storing potions ingredients," she said brightly, "and there isn't any light shining on those shelves so if you keep herbs there they will last."

Ted watched her in mild astonishment as she strode across the room and opened the back door. There was a wide strip of land between this shop and the Leaky Cauldron. It was strewn with rubbish but the sun was shining strongly on the patch.

"And look..."said Andromeda quietly. "You could keep a garden here."

Ted looked around the shop, imagining bottles of liquids and herbs covering the shelves and a cauldron it the smoky fireplace. It wasn't a bad idea at all...even if Andromeda had come up with it.

"I think you're onto something, Princess," said Ted finally, "but I didn't do NEWTs Potions. I need to hire someone who did."

"I've done NEWT level Potions," said Andromeda before she could stop herself.

Ted raised his eyebrows. Andromeda was deliberately avoiding his gaze and, by the looks of it, was very much regretting opening her mouth. Although the notion of running this place appealed to her, working for a mudblood was stooping too low.

"I can't hire you, can I?" asked Ted dryly.

Andromeda flushed.

"Certainly not," she replied sharply.

Ted grimaced and returned to his shelves. Andromeda had a strange feeling that, despite her usual attitude towards him, he had expected a different answer.

Andromeda bit her lip. Surely she wouldn't be disgracing the family if she was merely offering suggestions? After all, Bellatrix _was_ sneaking out with a blood traitor every fortnight. Her offence was hardly unforgivable in comparison.

Andromeda struggled with herself and finally managed to speak after a few moments.

"But I suppose I could... help a little..." she mumbled, "…until you found someone who could run this place... if you wanted."

Ted stared at her in surprise. Andromeda tried not to look too embarrassed but she could still feel her cheeks reddening.

"Sure, why not?" said Ted finally.

Andromeda could think of several very good reasons 'why not' and she was fairly certain that Ted could too. She was all but engaged to one of the most powerful men in Britain. Rodolphus would be more than angry if he found out she was helping a mudblood.

But that wasn't going to stop her. Andromeda wasn't going to waste her last few months of relative freedom doing nothing with herself. _Perhaps she did have a little of Bellatrix's reckless streak in her after all... _

Ted, apparently bored of watching her stare into space and picture Rodolphus' furious expression, interrupted her thoughts.

"What now, Princess?" he asked impatiently.

Andromeda, by some miracle, managed not to scowl again.

"The first thing you need is a supplier," she said. "You don't know any Herbologists, do you?"

"Sure… you know Alice Prewett?"

Andromeda's mouth twitched. _A Prewett... of course._

"I thought she _worked_ with Frank in the Auror's Office," said Andromeda, hiding her disdain with difficulty.

"Her old man is a Herbologist," explained Ted. "Cheerful, straight forward sort of bloke… a bit like Alice actually."

Andromeda noted the glowing praise of Alice Prewett but said nothing about it. She had no intention of hearing an account of Ted's love life. She also noted that the rumors about the Prewetts getting their fortune in trade were apparently true.

"What are his prices like?" asked Andromeda stiffly.

Ted grinned.

"Egbert's a Hufflepuff, Princess… You won't get a fairer price."

Andromeda had to agree with him there. The Hufflepuffs she knew off seemed to be completely ignorant of term _profit_.

"Very well... Talk to this _Egbert Prewett_... and see what he can get you," she said. "Start with basic ingredients and buy dittany and knotgrass in bulk."

Ted pulled a muggle pen out of his pocket and scribbled Andromeda's instructions on the back of his hand.

"Dittany... knotgrass... got it," he muttered.

Andromeda shook her head at him, trying and failing to hide a smirk.

"Once we order the Dragon parts you can start advertising in the Prophet," said Andromeda. "You might be as successful as Mulpepper's... if you don't blotch this up."

Ted, far from being offended, smirked back at her.

"With you around all the time?" he said with a laugh. "I'll probably go bankrupt."


	16. Unexpected

Unexpected

After many months and countless arguments, the fledgling apothecary had been completely transformed. Ted, despite Andromeda's insistence that it really did not matter, had decided to abandon the age old tradition of macabre décor that the owners of apothecaries seemed to favour.

"Not all of us slept in a creepy common room for seven years," Ted had said. "Who wants to walk into a place with dragon intestines hanging from the ceiling?"

That statement had been followed by a rather long argument on whether or not the Slytherin common room could be classified as _creepy_. Ted won the argument. It was a dungeon after all.

Andromeda lined the shelves with coloured glass bottles, full of liquid. Coloured light was thrown around the already brightly lit room. The fireplace, which thankfully no longer smoked, was home to a large pewter cauldron. Bellatrix and Frank were astounded at his progress, although ignorant of Andromeda's involvement.

It had begun to snow again. It was not enough snow to make Diagon Alley seem picturesque but more than enough to make the streets cold, wet and miserable and kill all the knot grass Ted and Andromeda had planted. (Ted had forgotten to put up a charm to protect them but he wouldn't admit it.)

None of this seemed to register on Bellatrix. The few people brave enough to venture outdoors shuffled to their destinations. Bellatrix walked with purpose. The cold had little effect on her. Andromeda followed her, shaking her head slightly.

Frank was waiting for them by the front door, grinning broadly for the entire world to see. He was very lucky that the rest of the world was trying desperately to get out of the cold. Andromeda purposefully strode indoors without looking at them. Did either of them know the meaning of the word _tact_?

Frank raised his eyebrow at Bellatrix, who was smirking at the door her sister had just entered.

"You're going out of your way to annoy Andromeda, aren't you?" he said shrewdly.

"Of course I am," answered Bellatrix as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She's my _sister_."

Frank chuckled. When they entered the apothecary however, the laughter died in his throat.

"What the hell is all this?" he asked loudly, voicing Bellatrix's thoughts.

Bellatrix and Frank stared at the scene before them. There were boxes _everywhere_. Ted's face was entirely obscured by a box he was carrying. He dumped the box onto the counter and beamed.

"Supplies," he answered brightly. "Alice and Egbert really came through."

Bellatrix looked at Andromeda, who would surely be shocked that Ted had accomplished all this, but her sister only raised her eyebrows. Ted grinned at her as she slipped behind the counter and opened one of the smaller boxes.

"Venomous Tentacular leaves," murmured Andromeda. "They really _did_ come through…"

"Well done, mudboy," said Bellatrix with a note of admiration. "Mulpepper's will be sending over spies to check you out soon."

Ted knew that this was as close to a compliment he would get from Bellatrix. He was rather chuffed but managed not to show it. Andromeda could tell from the way he was standing next to her and trying not to smile. Bellatrix and Frank began looking around. Frank did so cautiously. His memories of NEWTs potions and the explosions they entailed were still fresh in his mind.

"Where did you get the idea for this place?" asked Frank, tentatively poking at one of the boxes. "You never liked Potions and Potions never liked you much either."

Andromeda paled slightly. She did not want to find out what Bellatrix would think if she knew Andromeda was spending hours in Ted's company. Ted noticed the look on her face and frowned.

"Someone gave me the idea," he muttered.

"Someone?" smirked Bellatrix. "_Another_ love interest perhaps?"

Ted looked up sharply.

"What do you mean _another_ love interest?" he demanded indignantly.

"The statement speaks for itself, Ted."

Ted glowered at Bellatrix as she went back to opening boxes. She smiled back pleasantly, irritating him further.

"Actually," said Ted coldly, "it was An- _ah_!"

Andromeda had subtly but painfully stood on his foot. Bellatrix and Frank were too busy admiring the shop to notice.

"Anna who?" asked Bellatrix.

Ted shot Andromeda a glare which she ignored. The venomous tentacular leaves were more interesting.

"I mean Alice…" said Ted when his foot stopped throbbing. "Err… Alice Prewett."

Frank looked up in surprise. Bellatrix suddenly became very interested in a jar full of flobberworms.

"Alice didn't say anything," said Frank with a frown.

"Didn't she?" asked Ted, making a mental note to warn Alice before Frank started questioning her.

There was a brief, awkward silence. Ted decided to change the topic.

"Are you two going to see the England play the Warriors today?" he asked casually.

Bellatrix looked up, a cruel smirk playing on her mouth.

"We'll see how good the infamous Wollongong Shimmy is against the might of the English," she grinned. "Foolish convicts…"

Frank put on a smirk to match Bellatrix's.

"Are you sure you didn't want to come?" he asked. "You always like it when British teams steamroll everyone else."

"That's why I'm watching the Ashes today," said Ted with a grin.

His statement was met by three blank faces.

"_Cricket_," said Ted in exasperation. "You know… the muggle sport."

"Is this the one with the wickets or the hoop?" asked Frank with a frown.

Ted grimaced.

"The wickets, Frank…the wickets."

"What about you, Dromeda?" asked Bellatrix.

Andromeda didn't look up from the box she was peering into.

"I have better things to do than watch grown men play catch," she said dryly. "Bella, are you sure-"

"There's no one else in the Longbottom's Box, Andromeda," said Bellatrix impatiently. "No one will see us."

Andromeda pursed her lips and said nothing. She only shot Frank a glare and continued to look at boxes. Frank shuffled uncomfortably. Although Andromeda never said anything to his face or in front of Bellatrix, Frank frequently got the impression that she disliked him.

"Umm… we should go if we want to get there on time," he muttered.

"Have fun you two," said Ted. "Let me know who wins."

As Bellatrix and Frank walked out through the back, Ted turned to Andromeda. She had begun diving the dittany into bunches to hang up in the storage room.

"That _hurt_," sulked Ted. "You didn't have to do that so hard."

If he expected an apology, Ted was disappointed. She looked up at him from under her eyelashes and smirked.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Theodore," she said with all the condescension she could muster.

"_Melodramatic_?" said Ted incredulously. "You nearly broke my toe!"

Andromeda only rolled her eyes. Ted spent the next few moments glowering at her while she looked at the other ingredients. She tried not to smile.

"Are you going to watch that…" Andromeda frowned slightly, "_thing_… on your… _picture box thing_?"

Ted raised an eyebrow.

"_Cricket_ on the _television_? No… I've taped it."

Judging from her vacant expression, Andromeda didn't have a clue what he was on about. Ted decided to change the subject.

"How did you like the book?" asked Ted.

Andromeda pulled out a tattered copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ from her pocket and handed it back to him.

"Sentimental rubbish," she said flatly.

Ted was surprised. He didn't like the book but old Mrs Tonks had adored it. He had always suspected it was a 'girl' thing.

"You liked _Romeo and Juliet_," said Ted with a frown, "and if that's not corny crap I don't know what is."

"_Romeo and Juliet_ had a realistic ending," said Andromeda.

Ted stopped and stared at her for a moment.

"They all… _die_," he said slowly, as though Andromeda had missed that crucial plot detail.

"Exactly."

Ted shook his head.

"You're a real optimistic gal, aren't you Dromeda?" he said sarcastically.

"I try, Theodore," she smirked. "We should get this into the store cupboard."

She pulled out her wand to levitate the boxes but Ted started carrying them first. He struggled with a particularly large box.

"Just use your _wand_," said Andromeda exasperatedly.

"But it's more fun this way!" said Ted as he staggered toward the storeroom.

Andromeda let out a sigh, put her wand down on a shelf and strode towards him.

"At least let me help you before you break your neck…" she muttered.

"S'Alright… I've got it."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth when he dropped the box on his already trodden on foot. But Ted didn't seem care. His eyes were fixed on something stirring out the window.

"Oh…_shite_," he whispered.

"What is it?" asked Andromeda in alarm. "Theodore-"

Andromeda stopped talking abruptly when she saw the familiar figure outside. She searched wildly for her wand but it was too late find it and cast a disillusion charm.

"Behind the bench!" hissed Ted.

There was no other option. Andromeda hid herself behind the counter just as Rodolphus Lestrange opened the door. Ted put on what Andromeda could only assume was his _innocent_ face, although to say he failed to convince was an understatement.

"Rodolphus mate," said Ted with a noticeably forced smile. "What can I do for you?"

If Rodolphus thought something was amiss, he didn't show it. He continued to look at Ted as though he was something disgusting he had found on the bottom of his shoe.

"You are Tonks," said Rodolphus quietly.

It was remarkable how much disdain Rodolphus could fit into a phrase without being insulting or raising his voice. It took all Ted's self restraint not to wince. _At least he didn't think he was Theodore Longbottom…_

"The one and only," he murmured.

Ted apparently had a tendency to talk too much when he was nervous. Rodolphus' eyes narrowed.

"I understand you have recently entered into the apothecary business," he said coldly. "I have a proposal for you."

Rodolphus handed him a piece of parchment with a list of ingredients. Ted read through the list quickly. Rodolphus had written the amount of Galleons he was willing to pay Ted at the bottom of the list. Ted couldn't be sure but it seemed well below the prices Andromeda told him they should be. He paused for a moment and frowned slightly before answering.

"What do you need with all this?" he asked casually.

Rodolphus did not take kindly to questions.

"That… is none of your concern," he said dangerously.

Ted flinched visibly..

"You _are_ capable of obtaining these ingredients then?" asked Rodolphus, generously giving Ted a moment to compose himself.

"Sure…" said Ted an octave higher than usual.

He cleared his throat and tried to steady his voice.

"Just give me the ministry approval for all these poisons and I'll get the order in."

There was a very long silence. Rodolphus' eyes narrowed, if possible, even further. Ted swallowed but his mouth was bone dry.

"The Ministry is tiresome when it comes to these matters… their measures are overly harsh," said Rodolphus a little louder. "Approval is not necessary."

Ted couldn't believe what he was hearing. The man was _scary_ for want of a better word but he was a high ranking Ministry official.

"Let me just… run this by you," said Ted slowly. "You want me… to illegally supply you with _poison_… without any idea what you are planning to do with it… for this lousy price?"

Rodolphus smiled unpleasantly.

"The price is negotiable," he said smoothly, his accent suddenly more pronounced, "to an extent."

Whatever small part of Ted was Gryffindor suddenly flared up. He straightened up his face and held his head up. His height was nothing to Rodolphus' but the gesture spoke for itself. He was not Rodolphus' _lap dog_ and he certainly never would be.

"_All the gold in Gringotts_… wouldn't get me to do this for you," said Ted firmly. "Unless you get Ministry approval… I don't want anything to do with this."

Surprise flashed across Rodolphus' face but was replaced by an ugly snarl.

"You would regret that, Tonks."

Ted turned scarlet.

"Are you threatening me?" he demanded.

The unpleasant sneer returned to Rodolphus' face.

"And I thought this was going to take _all day_," he said contemptuously.

Rodolphus didn't get to elaborate on his threat. Ted strode over to the door and wrenched it open.

"Watch your step on the way out," he said pleasantly. "There are boxes of dittany everywhere… I wouldn't want you to trip and hurt yourself."

For a moment, Ted thought Rodolphus was going to hex him into oblivion. His gloved hand twitched towards what Ted suspected was his wand but then fell limp.

"You're a fool, Tonks," said Rodolphus finally.

Ted spared a glance at the bench Andromeda was currently hiding under and let out a humourless laugh.

"You have… n_o idea_," he grimaced.

Snarling, Rodolphus stormed out of the apothecary. When he was a safe distance away, Ted slammed the door shut and stood there fuming.

"Start an apothecary… _start an apothecary_…" his voice gradually getting louder and angrier. "I swear, Andromeda… next time I take your bloody advice…"

Ted trailed off, muttering darkly under his breath. Andromeda knew he was angry but his words still stung. She slowly got to her feet and deliberately brushed off non-existent dust off her robes.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I did not think he would come here."

Ted suddenly rounded on her.

"You didn't think he would stoop to do business with a _mudblood_ in other words," he said loudly.

Andromeda took in a deep breath before answering.

"No, I did not," she said stiffly.

Andromeda's acknowledgement made Ted even angrier.

"Do you know what he wanted with all that poison?" demanded Ted, pointing in the direction Rodolphus had gone.

Andromeda did not miss the accusation in his tone. She managed to keep her tone even but her stance became rigid.

"Poisons are a profitable commodity. If you can buy large quantities at a low price-"

"From a _bleeding idiot_," snarled Ted.

"…you can sell them for up to twice as much," finished Andromeda, raising her voice above Ted's.

"So he's _not_ trying to kill anyone?" shouted Ted.

He knew instantly that he had gone too far. The colour drained from Andromeda's face.

"_Of course not_!" she shouted back. "How _dare_ you even…"

Perhaps a small part of her knew that Ted's accusation did have foundation… that Rodolphus had the means and the resolve to do anything he wanted. Andromeda couldn't bear to be in the same room as Ted any longer. She seized her wand and headed for the door. Ted tried to hold her arm but she shrugged him off violently.

"Andromeda, _wait_!" he cried. "I'm…"

But Andromeda had already slammed the door behind her.

"…sorry," he finished lamely.

It suddenly occurred to him that Andromeda might not come back. It was as if something cold and heavy had filled Ted's chest. He had grown more attached to the Slytherin than he had realised.

"Stupid friggin' balance."

*

It was three weeks before Ted saw her again. He was getting jumpy and agitated. Frank didn't know what was wrong with him. When Bellatrix finally arrived at the Apothecary, Andromeda was there with her. She was as quiet and subdued as always… but she was _there_. Frank and Bellatrix left in a hurry. Three weeks was a long time for them.

Andromeda was carrying a leather bag over her shoulder. She took it off and handed it Ted. Ted mumbled his thanks and found three thick, expensive looking volumes on magical herbs and their properties.

"These are from the library at Black Manor," said Andromeda softly. "Take care of them, Theodore. I may be disowned if they go missing."

"That was nice of you," said Ted.

"Always the tone of surprise."

Ted let out a small laugh. Andromeda bit her lip.

"Ted…" she said hesitantly. "You don't need to worry about Rodolphus."

Ted looked up sharply.

"Who said I'm worried?" he said a little too quickly.

Andromeda tried not to smile at his bravado.

"No one," she said wryly. "If… theoretically speaking… you _were_ worried-"

"Theoretically speaking," said Ted firmly.

"You should know that Rodolphus will not come back here," said Andromeda, ignoring the interruption. "I know him… he does not expect you to succeed. He won't bother with this place as long as you don't become more successful than Mulpepper's."

Somehow Andromeda's insistence that she knew Rodolphus so well did no reassure him.

"So… keep business low key?" he muttered.

"Exactly."

The silence stretched between them.

"I didn't think you'd be back," said Ted finally.

"Disappointed?" asked Andromeda with a smirk.

Ted returned the smirk.

"A little," he said jokingly.

Andromeda shook her head in mock displeasure and busied herself with arranging some of the coloured jars on the shelf. A smile was playing on the corner of her mouth. Ted watched her, the corners of his own mouth turning up slightly. Andromeda had a nice smile; far warmer than Bellatrix's smirk.

Andromeda suddenly became aware that Ted was watching her and shot him a questioning glance. He looked away pointedly and pretended to read one of the books she had brought for him.

To Ted's surprise, he found that he wasn't at all disappointed that Andromeda had come back at all.

* * *

Author's Note: There is one 'happy' chapter left before this fic takes the angsty (and relatively canon) detour.

According to _Quidditch Through the Ages_, the Wollongong Warriors are an Australian Quidditch Team.

Unlike Ted, I am very disappointed that Australia lost the Ashes (again).


	17. Alice and Ashes

**Alice and Ashes**

The Leaky Cauldron was usually full during summer. New and old Hogwarts students rushed in to escape the heat. Parents stood protectively by the small first years while they excitedly examined their parcels.

Ted strolled inside, craning his head to find the woman he was looking for. He caught sight of a pretty, round faced woman with a dark brown bob cut sitting in the corner. She beamed at him and gestured for him to come and sit with her. Ted sat down heavily on the wooden chair and grinned at her.

"Hullo Alice," he said. "That butterbeer mine?"

Alice Prewett pushed a foaming mug towards him. It was difficult to imagine her working alongside Frank as an Auror. The perpetual smile on her face and her love of flowers did very little to instil fear into the hearts of Death Eaters.

Lately however, that smile was fading.

Alice seemed happy enough now however. Tired but positively cheerful.

"How's the business going, Teddy?" she asked with her customary brightness.

Ted took a long draught from the mug and grinned.

"The muggles have promoted me from weather to sport," he said with obvious smugness, "and the Apothecary had _three_ customers the other day."

Alice raised her eyebrows, waiting to be impressed. Ted was hoping for a better reaction and scowled.

"Yeah… well how's beating up Death Eaters going for you?" he mumbled indignantly.

"It's fun," she said mischievously. "You should try it sometime."

Ted chuckled as he remembered the many occasions Frank had accidentally dragged him into a skirmish and the various injuries he had from them.

"No thank you… I was never any good in fight," said Ted. "I'll leave the pulverising to people like you and Bella."

Ted raised his glass to her but Alice didn't seem to notice. Her face lost its warm and her eyes fixed themselves on her mug. Ted's face fell. He knew that look.

"She is good in a duel, isn't she?" mumbled Alice. "Gideon said he hasn't seen someone throw a curse as well she can."

"Gideon said that?" said Ted sceptically.

It was difficult to imagine Gideon complimenting the girl he had loathed for almost his entire time at Hogwarts.

"Grudgingly, I'll admit," said Alice.

There was a long, awkward silence. Alice began to fiddle with her mug. Ted watched her grimly.

"Alice," said Ted quietly. "You told me you were over it."

Alice jerked her shoulders in a 'no comment' gesture. The silence stretched again.

"You know… Dumbledore asked her to join to the Order," she said in a vaguely transparent attempt to change the subject.

It was a transparent attempted but it served its purpose. Ted stared and his mouth fell open. His amazement was more that Dumbledore actually asked _Bellatrix_ of all the short tempered Slytherins, than at the thought of her fighting to protect muggles and muggleborns.

Bellatrix occasionally stood up for _him_ after all… in her strange, brash manner.

"_What did she say_?" asked Ted incredulously.

Alice's features darkened.

"You Know Who has a habit of targeting whole families," said Alice. "There are barely any McKinnons left now that they've joined the Order…"

Ted bowed his head, his eyes fixed on the table. The McKinnons were the kindest of people. Now there was only Marlene and her uncle. Alice took a breath before continuing.

"Bellatrix is…_smart_," she said stiffly. "She's waiting until her sisters get married so there's no trouble for them."

Ted looked up sharply. Alice tilted her inquiringly at him. He quickly arranged his features into one of indifference.

"Is that… going to happen soon you reckon?" he asked casually.

Alice could tell there was something behind his indifference. She decided not to point out that Ted was a shameless gossip who spent too much time talking with the chatty old muggle women on his street.

"Narcissa's only eighteen but there is some talk about her… err…_courting_ Lucius Malfoy," said Alice, sticking out her tongue at the name. "Andromeda's already made a good match… Rodolphus Lestrange is probably going to propose soon."

Ted felt his stomach plummet. The disgust and disappointment must have shown on his face because Alice looked worried.

"Teddy-"

"How's Molly?" said Ted loudly.

It was another transparent attempted to change the subject. Ted took a long draught from his butterbeer.

"She might just become Andromeda's sister-in-law," muttered Alice.

Ted choked. Alice let him cough and splutter for a moment before explaining herself.

"My Aunt and Uncle have their eyes on Rabastan... and seeing as no other pureblood woman in their right mind would want to marry the _snivelling little cockroach_…"

It was strange to see Alice's pretty features contorted in loathing. She rarely got worked up over anything. Ted tried to digest what she had just told him. Good natured and motherly Molly Prewett seemed completely out of place with all that finery and pompous nonsense that purebloods seemed to love.

"But…" mumbled Ted, "I thought Molly was sweet on _Arthur_?"

"She _is_ sweet on Arthur," grimaced Alice, "but do you really think her parents will approve her marrying a _Weasley_?"

Ted stared at Alice in disbelief. After a moment he said the only thing that did the situation justice.

"You purebloods are backward people," he said flatly.

Alice laughed mirthlessly and took another long drink from her butterbeer. Ted watched her grimly. Alice may be as likable as Bellatrix was snide, but if they had anything in common… besides the obvious… it was that they would both draw blood for their families. Many hapless boys had been cursed between them over Molly and Andromeda.

"Teddy… I'm not just here to gossip about the stupid things purebloods do," said Alice finally. "I have a favour to ask you."

Ted paused and raised his eyebrows at Alice. She had dropped her voice… as though concealing something.

"Something wrong, Alice?" he asked, lowering his voice to match hers.

Alice shook her head and glanced around before speaking. To anyone else, they looked like a couple, trying not to be heard.

"It's for the Order," she whispered. "Dumbledore needs potions ingredients. We'll pay you-"

Ted put up his hand to stop her.

"Dumbledore doesn't have to pay me anything, Alice," he said as loudly as whispering would allow. "Whatever you want, you get from me."

Alice beamed at him, her vibrant smile returning as quickly as it had vanished.

"Thank you, Teddy," she said brightly. "We need more people like you in the Ministry."

"Are you kidding?" scoffed Ted. "You Know Who will take over in a _week_."

Alice discretely slid him a paper napkin. There was a list of ingredients that Alice had scribbled down. _Lacewing flies… shredded boomslang skin…powered horn of a bicorn…_

Everything needed for the Polyjuice Potion.

"Dress up party?" he murmured.

"Something like that," said Alice. "I'll bring Frank… meet you in five?"

*

Ted growled at the many coloured jars in frustration. Andromeda had very small handwriting and there were a lot of jars.

"Boomslang…" muttered Ted. "Merlin, why couldn't she put it in alphabetical order like a _normal_ person? Boomslang… Boomslang… _ha_!"

Ted seized the appropriate jar triumphantly and glanced at the rest of his list. _Powered horn of a bicorn…_

Before he could get to the shelf with the horns, antlers and claws, the door opened behind him. Ted turned, expecting to see Alice and Frank, but there was a cloaked figure at the door. Cloaks were common in the wizarding world but it was a little too warm for one now… unless you were trying to hide something. Ted frowned.

"Sorry, I'm closed now," he said, trying to make out the face behind the cloak.

The figure ignored Ted's words and took a deliberate step towards him. The door swung shut.

"I'm not here to buy your filthy mudblood wares," snarled the figure.

Ted paled. The man lowered his hood to reveal a bone white mask.

_Bloody hell... not friendly then. _

Willing himself to remain calm, Ted glanced out the window, praying that Alice and Frank were on their way in. They weren't.

_Stall him... keep talking._

"You should know," said Ted, slowly reaching for his wand. "I'm expecting two Aurors to show up so you'd really better-"

_Bang!_

The Death Eater struck suddenly, sending Ted crashing into the shelves Andromeda had painstakingly arranged. Bruised, cut and cursing like a sailor, Ted staggered to his feet.

"Have I...offended you in some way?" he demanded.

The Death Eater stuck again. Ted blocked the curse clumsily and was thrown over the broken bottles and back into the shelf. Something spilled onto his shoulder and burned. The Death Eater watched him with contempt and loathing.

"Your very existence is offense enough, mudblood," he hissed, his voice dripping with venom.

The insult meant nothing after spending years in the company of Bellatrix and Andromeda. With Bellatrix it was practically an affectionate nickname.

He should have let Bella teach him those curses.

"Oh, besides _that_!" snapped Ted.

With a sharp jab of the Death Eater's wand, Ted was dragged forward onto his knees. He winced. Falling down on glass hurt.

Ted's Gryffindor side refused to let him panic but his sense of self preservation was willing one of his many pureblood, duelling extraordinaire friends to burst in and save his muggleborn backside.

"You must have done something," sneered the Death Eater.

He flicked his wand and the counter behind him burst into flames. The flames spread quickly, spreading across the shelves and licking at the glass bottles.

"I was ordered to take particular care tormenting you before the end."

* * *

Yeah I know... I update after months and leave it at a cliffie. I'm dreadfully cruel.

You may review and inform me of your displeasure.


End file.
